As temperatures rise and planting season gets underway across Pennsylvania, drivers navigating rural roads should be prepared to share them with large, slow-moving farm equipment.

The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, along with state government partners, is encouraging driver caution during Rural Roads Safety Week, which runs through Saturday.

Each year, the farm bureau partners with PennDOT, the state Department of Agriculture and state police to raise awareness about staying safe on rural roads during the spring planting season.

“Farmers make the safety of other motorists a top priority when we must move equipment on the roadway, and we ask that drivers help keep us safe as well,” said Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Chris Hoffman. “We don’t want to cause an inconvenience to anyone and will often pull over to allow others to pass when it’s safe to do so. We just ask that drivers remain patient when following farm equipment and keep a safe distance.”

“Rural roads are a critical route for getting food to all our tables,” Ag Deputy Secretary Lisa Graybeal said. “For your safety, and for the safety of everyone who must share our roads, please be alert and patient as you travel across Pennsylvania this season. Slow down and take time to enjoy the beauty of Pennsylvania and the bounty Pennsylvania farmers put on our tables every day.”

According to preliminary PennDOT data, there were 85 crashes involving farm equipment last year, resulting in one fatality and nine suspected serious injuries. Overall, there were more than 28,000 crashes on rural roads in 2025, resulting in 426 fatalities.

“Safety on our roadways is a shared responsibility,” said PennDOT District 6 Executive Din Abazi. “We must all use caution when driving on rural roads, especially in the spring and summer months when farm vehicles are most common on these roadways.”