The hazards imposed by agricultural activities on the road

By Dumisa Dlamini

Now that the rain is here farmers all around the country are embarking on various and different agricultural activities. This is a welcome economic activity of sustainability which, however, does not come short of hazards they impose on the road. Starting with the rain, itself, it has so much impact the way that affects the road surface and making it hard for drivers to maneuver. Several accidents in traffic are realized due to this activities provoked by the rains and in some parts of the country the road would even be impassable. This calls for caution especially in these areas of economic agricultural undertakings. 

TRACTORS, A HAZARD WHEN NOT PROPERLY HANDLED

It is an open secret that most tractor drivers ain’t trained and licensed for the task. Instead, they undergo informal training and would get to the field or the road in execution of that needful agricultural activity lacking the necessary experience to survive and prevent crashes. Whilst a tractor may be used principally on the field, the driver is apt to use a public or private road at some point in time and interact with traffic. This someone who has not been exposed to the rules, regulations, and signs of the road. For that reason, they may cause horrific accidents to other road users on their way to and from the fields. Remember, they may be driving tractors that ain’t road worthy in that they may not have lights, indicators, or brakes. Many accidents have been realized wherein oncoming or following traffic rams behind or on a tractor that is totally obscured because it has no lights. Or a driver who simply plunges onto the mainstream traffic without ensuring safety for everyone. It is imperative therefore that all tractor drivers be trained and keep tractor road at all times.

 HA ULAGE TRUCKS CAN BE A HAZARD ON THE ROAD

There is sugar cane haulage activity that assumes well before the rains. As the cane is ferried from the fields to the mills it drops on the road and by extension draws stray animals unto the to enjoy the delicacy from the canes. This is dangerous for other road users as they may hit on these animals who become prevalent due to this economic undertaking. In summer, when it rains, the haulage trucks are covered with so much mud that the panels for indicators, brake light and chevrons are covered, following traffic would not easily discern if the huge vehicle in front is turning to the sides and a smash from behind is realized. Again, as trucks leave the muddy field to join mainstream traffic, they make heavy droppings of mud unto an even road surface and those who drive fast are apt to lose control of their vehicles at that area where there is so much piles of mud, making the road slippery. It would be important for trucks to keep the communicative panels clear to inform other motorists of each intention in traffic before they would even execute same. One would expect the field marshals to the hazardous mud left by the vehicles on road, clear it to allow other road users to drive past that space without impediments. 

TAKE AWAYS: 

1. Don’t follow a tractor or haulage truck too close. 

2. Keep your tractor road worthy at all times. 

3. Slowdown in the rain, there may be an obscured tractor crossing the road. 

4. Cane spillage can draw stray animals to the road.

5. Kill your speed or you may kill or be killed by a cow.