Farm Equipment Road Safety Tips for Spring Planting Season
Summary
MnDOT issued a public safety advisory urging motorists and farm equipment operators to safely share Minnesota roadways during the 2026 spring planting season. Crash data from 2023–2025 documents 392 crashes involving farm equipment, resulting in 12 deaths and 167 injuries. The advisory provides specific safety recommendations for both motorist and farm equipment operator behavior on rural roads.
“Drivers should slow down and prepare to encounter slow-moving farm vehicles, especially on rural, two-lane roads, from now until early summer”
What changed
MnDOT published a spring planting season road safety advisory, the first such advisory in the current 2026 season cycle, updating its guidance for road-sharing between motorists and farm equipment operators. The advisory highlights specific crash data (392 crashes, 12 deaths, 167 injuries from 2023–2025) to underscore the public safety risk.
Motorists should slow down on rural two-lane roads, use headlights at all times, and wait for safe passing opportunities. Farm equipment operators should use required and flashing lights, deploy slow-moving vehicle emblems on equipment under 30 mph, and verify that loaded vehicle heights do not exceed the 13-foot-6-inch legal limit or obtain appropriate permits for oversize loads. No compliance deadlines or penalties are associated with this advisory.
Archived snapshot
Apr 22, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
MnDOT asks motorists and farm equipment operators to safely share the road during planting season
MANKATO, Minn. — Motorists traveling Minnesota roadways this spring should watch for large farm equipment moving between farms and fields for planting season, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Crash data shows there were 392 crashes involving farm equipment in Minnesota from 2023 to 2025, resulting in 12 deaths and 167 injuries.
“Farmers need our highways to move important equipment to prepare and plant fields each spring, and there are many ways to stay safe during this time. Drivers should slow down and prepare to encounter slow-moving farm vehicles, especially on rural, two-lane roads, from now until early summer” said Brian Sorenson, MnDOT state traffic engineer.
Farm equipment is large and heavy, making it hard for operators to accelerate, slow down and stop. The equipment also makes wide turns and sometimes crosses over the center line. In addition, farm vehicles can create large blind spots, making it difficult for operators to see approaching vehicles.
Motorists should:
- Slow down and watch for farm equipment, particularly at dusk and dawn on two-lane rural roads
- Use caution when approaching farm equipment
- Watch for debris dropped by farm equipment
- Drive with headlights on at all times
- Wait for a safe place to pass
Farm equipment operators should:
- Use lights as required, and flashing lights as allowed, to make equipment more visible
- Use slow-moving vehicle emblems on equipment traveling less than 30 mph
- Check height of loaded vehicle to ensure it is below the legal height limit of 13 feet six inches. Vehicles or loads measuring over 13 feet 6 inches may require a permit from the agency that owns the road. For state permit requirements and information visit MnDOT’s Oversize/Overweight Permits webpage. ###
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