How to Operate Farm Equipment After Dusk

Modern farm equipment has lights for safe night operations.

Farming often requires long hours in the field. Often this entails operating equipment after dusk and in to the dark of night. While darkness can pose problems for farmers in the field, a greater danger occurs when transporting farm equipment on the roads after dark. However, with proper precautions, modern farm equipment can be operated in the field and transported on the roads safely after dark.

Things You'll Need

• Tractor
• Slow-moving-vehicle sign
• Reflectors
• Lights

Instructions

1. Make sure all equipment lights work. Modern farm equipment often has spotlights as well as headlights and flashers. Make sure all these lights work before heading to the field in the morning. The American Society of Agricultural Engineers suggests each tractor have two headlights, four flashing amber lights with two mounted in the front and two in the back and one red taillight mounted on the far right rear edge of the equipment.

2. Turn on all lights anytime the equipment is on the road and visibility is reduced. This means lights should be on during fog, snow, rain or evening or nighttime darkness. Clean any dust accumulated from field work from the lenses of the lights and from the windshield and other windows of the cab, if applicable.

3. Focus any adjustable spotlights on the working area of the farm equipment. This is only applicable during field work as spotlights are usually turned off during road transportation due to its brightness.

4. Mount a slow-moving-vehicle sign on the farthest back portion of the equipment anytime it is transported on the road. The triangular sign is considered a universal warning that the equipment to which the sign is mounted is traveling at less than 25 miles per hour. Remove the SMV if the equipment travels faster than 25 mph on the road. Add two reflectors to the outside edges of the equipment as it is positioned to move down the road. In addition, if the towed equipment blocks the view of the rear mounted reflectors on the tractor, a separate set of red flashers should be added to the equipment.

Tips & Warnings

• Train all farm equipment operators how to operate the lights and the placement of lights and reflectors for transportation.

• Exceptionally wide farm equipment may require pilot cars in front of and behind the equipment to warn other traffic. Check local and state laws concerning the allowable widths of farm equipment on the road and any mandated safety precautions.

References

• National Ag Safety Database: Preventing
• Washington State: Farm Implement Brochure