2023-05-011

Farm Vehicles on the Roadway

January 6, 2016

2023-05-012

Farm Vehicles on the Roadway

Speakers

Kevin Martin, OPP, South BruceSean Wraight, MTO - Regional Planner, London

2023-05-013

Current Ontario Road Safety Picture

Ontario roads are among the safest in North America.

In 2012, Ontario:

Recorded the second lowest number of road fatalities – 568 – since 1944

The second lowest number of road fatalities in North America

Long-term trends indicate substantial reductions in fatality and injury rates since 2000. Fatalities are down by over one third. Injuries are down by over one quarter and is one of the lowest rates ever.

Ontario Road Safety Annual Report 2012

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Farm Vehicles on the Roadway Canadian Statistical Trends Most recent numbers from the MTO are for

the year 2012; 179 collisions across the Province of Ontario involving farm equipment

The most frequent type of single-vehicle crash is a farm tractor being driven too close to the shoulder of the road and rolling into the ditch.

The most common type of multiple-vehicle collision is a farm machine being hit as it is turning onto a public roadway from a farm road or another public roadway.

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Farm Vehicles on the Roadway Some Canadian Statistical Trends There is a high number of rear-end

collisions, usually occurring at intersections and caused by motorists underestimating the size and speed of the farm equipment.

A large number of collisions occurred while the farm equipment is making a left hand turn where operators failed to signal or by the signal not being visible to other traffic.

Almost half of all collisions occurred in the period July to September, the peak harvest time.

2023-05-016

Highway Traffic Act Your Tractor is not a motor vehicle, but it

is considered a vehicle Self Propelled Implements of Husbandry

are not motor vehicles, but they are vehicles

Licence plates not required on tractors, farm wagons or implements of husbandry IF travelling farm to farm for farm purposes or maintenance or repairs; All other uses require plates.

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Self-Propelled Implements of Husbandry (SPIH) SPIH are vehicles "manufactured,

designed, redesigned, converted, or reconstructed" to perform a specific farm task. When converted from former road vehicles, SPIH should exhibit outward, physical change to the cargo-carrying portion of the vehicle and the modifications should facilitate a specific farm use.

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Where to Drive Although it is not illegal to drive farm

equipment on the shoulder of the road, you should always drive on the travelled portion of the highway as the shoulder may not be able to support the weight of your farm equipment. (Except where prohibited.) Also, although farm equipment is exempt from the width rules in the Highway Traffic Act (HTA), you must yield ½ the road to oncoming vehicles.

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Slow Moving Vehicle Sign Must be displayed on rearmost vehicle

while on a highway Mounted between ½ m/ 1’ 8” and

2m/6.5’ above roadway Vehicle travels at 40 km/h or less Tractors and self propelled implements

of husbandry must display the sign When towing, rear most towed vehicle

must display the sign

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Slow Moving Vehicle Sign

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Over-size, Over-weight Loads

Farm equipment operators are exempt from the maximum width, length and weight rules when on a highway.

This exemption also applied to towed implement(s).

However, a farm equipment operator may be liable for damage to the highway or a bridge from an overweight vehicle.

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Wide Equipment Rules Keep right of the centerline, allowing other

vehicles ½ the travelled portion Keep right when being overtaken Keep right at crest of grade or hill, at a

curve, within 100 ft of bridge or tunnel, or when driver’s view obstructed

Keep right within 100 ft of railway crossing

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Lighting

All Vehicles on a highway require 2 white lights to the front and one red light to the rear when operating at night.

Night, ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise and any other time when visibility is reduced to less than 150 metres or 500 feet

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Vehicles over 6.1m / 20 ft All combinations exceeding the

length must have front and rear side marker lamps green or amber on the front & red on the rear

The above may be substituted with reflectors

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Over-dimensional farm vehicles Is a farm vehicle, a farm tractor,

self-propelled implement of husbandry, implement of husbandry, or any combination of them, having a weight, width, length or height in excess of the limits

2.6 m/8.5’ wide 23 m/75’ long

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Long Combinations Longer than 23 m/75’ Must have 2 flashing amber lights

front 2 flashing amber lights to the rear Only when lights are required!

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Overwidth

Wider than 2.6m/8.6’ up to 3.8m/12.5’

Must have 2 flashing amber lights front

2 flashing amber lights to the rear Only when lights are required!

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Overwidth greater than 3.8m/12.5’

At all times: Must have 2 flashing amber lights

front 2 flashing amber lights to the rear Or Rotating high mounted amber

light visible front and rear

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Overwidth greater than 3.8m/12.5’

At Night: Must have 2 flashing amber lights

front 2 flashing amber lights to the rear And Rotating high mounted amber

light visible front and rear Or escort vehicles front and rear

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Overwidth greater than 4.8m/15’ 9”

At all times Must have 2 flashing amber lights

front 2 flashing amber lights to the rear Or Rotating high mounted amber

light visible front and rear

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Overwidth greater than 4.8m/15’ 9”

At Night Must have 2 flashing amber lights

front 2 flashing amber lights to the rear And Rotating high mounted amber

light visible front and rear and escort vehicles front and rear

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Escort Vehicles

Must have working four way flashers Must be equipped with high

mounted intermittent flashing rotating amber light

Visible to front and rear Travel at a distance of approx.

60m/200’ in front & behind of escorted equipment

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Safety Chains - Secondary Means of Attachment Any vehicle being towed on a highway

must be equipped with safety chain or chains

The chain or chains must have a breaking strength greater than the total weight being drawn (Appendix A in Farm Guide)

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Drivers LicensesA Driver's License is not required to drive a farm tractor or self-propelled implement of husbandry along a highway, but you must be at least 16 years old. Children under 16 can only drive farm vehicles directly across a highway. If your Driver's License has been suspended for impaired driving, you cannot drive farm machinery on a highway.

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Drivers LicencesClass A

Any combination of a motor vehicle and towed vehicles (including tractor-trailer or truck-trailer combinations and implements eg: wagons) where the towed vehicle’s gross weight is more than 4,600 kg (10,140 lbs) empty or loaded (also includes the towing of farm equipment that weighs more than 4600 kg when towed with a motor vehicle)

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Signal to Stop Or Turn Every driver while on a highway

must signal his intent to stop or turn by means of a plainly visible signal

The signal above maybe by hand or mechanical/electrical device

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Off road vehicles operated by farmers Must have a Driver's Licence, Insurance

and Helmet The Off-Road Vehicle Act (ORVA) permits a

farmer to drive an off-road vehicle on, along or across a highway if the vehicle is designed to travel on more than 2 wheels and bears a slow-moving vehicle sign. The farmer must have a valid driver's licence and must be using the off-road vehicle (ORV) for agricultural purposes. The operator must comply with all applicable ORVA provisions.

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Off road vehicles operated by farmers The owner of an ORV cannot allow a child

under the age of 12 to drive the ORV unless the vehicle is:

• Driven on land occupied by the vehicle owner; or

• Under the close supervision of an adult.

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Load Security

Exempt from “Load Security Regulation”

Must be safe for the road, i.e. no bales able to shift or fall from the vehicle

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Load Security

Load security Regulations (363/04) apply

Load must secured as per NSC 10 Straps, chains or cables required to

prevent load shifting or falling from vehicle

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Questions

ContactsLondon Enquiries 519-873-4286

Web- WWW.MTO.GOV.ON.CA