The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) are appealing to motorists to take extra care as the number of tractors, trailers and other farm machinery using the roads increases during the summer season.
The appeal comes as farmers and contractors have started cutting silage around the country.
Both the RSA and IFA want farming contractors and other drivers to remember to be mindful of other road users and to always be on the lookout for vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians.
Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the Road Safety Authority said: “This is a very busy time of year for farmers. The number of tractors and trailers out using the roads will increase dramatically. I am asking all drivers and motorcyclists to be on the lookout for tractors, trailers and other farm machinery on the road, turning into and out of fields. If you are travelling behind farm machinery, please be patient and only overtake when it’s safe to do so. Farmers should be aware of traffic building up behind them and keep left where possible and if safe to do so to allow other vehicles pass safely. Use your indicators to warn other road users of manoeuvres, and never use your mobile phone whilst driving on the road. We should all expect the unexpected, as danger could literally be around the next corner.’’
Drivers of agricultural vehicles are being reminded to wash down wheels regularly to avoid carrying mud and stones onto the public road, be particularly careful when transporting material such as silage, slurry, sand and gravel so that it does not spill on the road and pose a road safety risk and not to overload trailers so as to cause them to be unstable on the road.
