Farm Vehicle Crashes Kill Over 200 People Each Year in North Carolina

Each year, crashes with farm machines claim lives on North Carolina roads. The state sees more than 200 wrecks with tractors and other farm gear. The NC Farm Bureau wants to cut these numbers down by raising awareness.

Residents who have had family members die from these crashes urge drivers to slow down when sharing the road with a tractor.

Five counties stand out with the worst track record (Wake, Guilford, Johnston, Sampson, and Wayne) according to the North Carolina Farm Bureau. The stark speed gap between cars and farm gear sits at the heart of this problem.

Cars zip by at 60 or 70 miles per hour. Meanwhile, farm machines crawl along at just 10 to 15. When these worlds meet on the same stretch of road, danger strikes fast.

The numbers paint a clear picture. Regular cars slam into farm gear in 82% of these wrecks. Country roads tell an even grimmer tale. They see less than half the traffic but cause more than half of all deadly crashes.

The math is simple, says the Farm Bureau. Slow down from 65 to 20 for one mile, and you'll add only two minutes to your trip. Those extra seconds might keep someone alive.