Caution while driving is always a must, even when the sun is shining and the weather is mild.

It may be tempting to put the windows down and turn up the radio. But around that bend on your rural ride might be a farmer moving equipment between one field and another.

Driving up at 35 to 50 miles an hour behind a piece of farm equipment moving 15 miles per hour is like a jack rabbit running up against an elephant. It only takes five seconds to close a gap the length of a football field, according to the Butler County Farm Bureau.

Don’t put yourself in a situation where you have to hope your brakes work.

This week is Rural Roads Safety Week. The county farm bureau and others in District 15 along with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and Superior Ambulance held a rural safety event Sunday in Grove City to offer tips to help motorists and farmers share the road.

It’s not hard to keep everyone safe. Slow down and assess the situation.

If you see an orange triangle with a red border, it means slow-moving vehicle. A tractor pulling a grain cart doesn’t have the maneuverability of a car. It needs wide turns, the machinery may sway, and for stability all four wheels may need to stay on the road.

Flashing amber lights often indicate the far right or left of the equipment. Reflective tape also can denote the side of the machinery or a piece hanging out.

When it is safe to pass, watch for any hand signals from the driver of the farm equipment. They might need time to adjust the slow maneuvering vehicle or, from their vantage point, be able to see an on-coming car that you can’t.

And when you do pass, use more caution than pressure on the gas peddle. Like a speed boat passing a canoe, your wake could destabilized the machinery and put the driver at risk.

Instead, enjoy the trip and value the neighborhood farmer who is working feed you.

— DJS