Share the Road This Harvest: Drivers Urged to Slow Down for Farm Equipment
LITTLE ROCK, AR – As Arkansas enters peak harvest season, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture urges drivers to slow down and watch for farm equipment on state highways and county roads. Through late fall, combines, tractors, grain carts, and cotton module trucks will move between fields, gins, elevators, and storage sites.
“Harvest is a demanding time for Arkansas farmers as they work to provide the food, fiber, fuel, and shelter that we demand not just in Arkansas but across the nation and the globe,” said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward. “We’re asking Arkansans to slow down, stay alert, and share the road responsibly this fall to keep farmers and fellow motorists safe.”
Farm equipment travels far below highway speeds, creating a speed gap that drivers often misjudge. Most incidents occur at field entrances, intersections, and during unsafe passing on two-lane roads.
What Drivers Should Do
- Slow down immediately when you see farm equipment and maintain a long following distance.
- Do not assume the operator sees you; machinery has significant blind spots.
- Watch for wide turns—equipment may swing right before turning left into a field.
- Pass only where legal and safe.
- Give wide loads space; move right rather than squeezing past.
- Expect delays and adjust travel time.
- Do not crowd, honk, or pressure operators onto soft shoulders.
- Watch for grain, mud, and residue on the road.
- Yield early at narrow or one‑lane bridges.
What Equipment Operators Should Do
- Use required lights from dusk to dawn or when visibility is limited.
- Mark equipment width and rear projections with proper lamps and flags.
- Ensure cotton module trucks display required slow‑moving signage.
- Avoid school and commute times when possible and use escort vehicles for oversize equipment.
- Keep reflective surfaces clean.
Weight Limits and Load Security
Once crops leave the field, standard truck weight limits apply under Ark. Code Ann. § 27-35-203. Key limits include:
- Standard: 20,000 lbs (single axle), 34,000 lbs (tandem), 80,000 lbs (gross).
- Farm products allowance (non‑interstate): Up to 85,000 lbs gross for qualifying loads.
- Cotton module trucks: Up to 70,000 lbs gross (three axles) or 80,000 lbs (four+ axles).
- Posted road/bridge limits override all allowances.
- Overweight violations carry mandatory fines and per‑pound penalties.
- Loads must be secured to prevent spills, which create hazards and attract wildlife.
- Verify axle spacing, scale tickets, and permits before harvest begins.
Arkansas producers harvest rice, soybeans, corn, cotton, grain sorghum, and peanuts through the fall, with equipment movement heaviest in September and October and continuing into November.
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