(Indianapolis, IN)  -Authorities are reminding drivers to be safe while encountering farm machinery on the roads during the fall harvest.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana State Police and the Indiana Department of Transportation are encouraging motorists to slow down, be alert and be patient on roadways this fall.

"As harvest season begins, we caution all motorists to be mindful of all farm equipment that may be on or near the roadways," Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith, who’s also Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

From 2020-2024, 22 occupants were involved in crashes with farm equipment in Indiana which resulted in seven deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“We ask that motorists exercise patience and grant our farming community the necessary space to safely navigate the roads as they work to harvest their crops and provide for families across Indiana,” said Indiana State Police Superintendent Anthony Scott.

Farm equipment on the roads include tractors, combines, grain carts, grain wagons and large trucks hauling agricultural products.  These vehicles are wide, sometimes taking up most of the road, and often travel at speeds no greater than 25 mph.

“Drivers must practice patience and courtesy when they encounter farm equipment on the road,” said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist.