The harvest season is currently in full swing and that means not only peak activity on the fields, but according to the ACE Auto Club Europe also an increased risk of accidents on the roads in rural areas.
Farm glaze: Slip hazard from harvest residues
Late summer and autumn can make the road slick. When after harvest agricultural vehicles are on the road, it can happen that soil and harvest residues from plows or shredders fall off or detach from the coarse tread of the tires. If these are moistened on asphalt by rain or fog, a so-called “farm glaze” can form, because the earth and clay lumps form a lubricating film when moist. This lengthens braking distances and increases the risk of skidding, ACE says.
Therefore, the Auto Club Europe recommends treating field work as a warning signal and driving with extra caution. Zwar seien Landwirte dazu verpflichtet, Straßen, die sie verschmutzt hätten, so schnell wie möglich
zu reinigen und bis zur Reinigung die verschmutzten Stellen zu kennzeichnen. Komme es aufgrund der Verschmutzung zu einem Unfall, könnten sie ansonsten haftbar gemacht werden.
In practice, road cleaning during the harvest peak season is often difficult to implement, so cleaning usually takes place only after harvest. Warning signs should therefore be taken seriously. And to travel safely in harvest areas, speed should always be reduced in the vicinity of field paths and the safety distance increased. This applies especially when roads are visibly dirty and the weather is damp.
Hop spikes: Tire damage possible
Particularly the hop harvest, which usually lasts until mid-September, requires special attention according to ACE, because during shredding of the hop bines so-called "hop spikes" arise. These are short, typically up to two centimeters long pieces of wire. When the shredded material is subsequently transported, it can happen that these fall onto the asphalt. The inconspicuous metal pieces can, however, bore into tires,
damaging them and causing breakdowns or accidents.
The largest contiguous hop-growing region lies in Hallertau, Bavaria. There, one should pay particular attention to harvest residues on the road and regularly check the tires, the Auto Club advises.
Tractors and harvest machines: Courtesy and patience required
During the harvest season tractors are also on public roads during the day and at night. Especially on rural and village roads one must currently always expect that they can appear abruptly in blind curves or after crests.
Agricultural vehicles travel significantly slower than other traffic, and overtaking should, according to ACE, be well considered, as it requires a lot of attention and sufficient space. Often tractors also have trailers in tow, so their length is quickly underestimated. Overtaking these machines thus often costs more time than expected, which the opposing traffic may not allow. Front- or rear-mounted implements on tractors and trailers are also often wider than expected and either heavy or
difficult to see. Complicating matters is the overwidth of some vehicles, for example self-propelled harvesting machines such as combines, which can restrict visibility, causing oncoming traffic to be seen too late.
Anyone who sees a tractor signaling or preparing to turn should also refrain from overtaking altogether, the Auto Club warns. For not infrequently the vehicles swing wide when turning. And even with poor visibility or an unclear stretch, for example before curves or crests, the rule should be to wait rather than risk overtaking.
Because tractors and other agricultural machines are, in the event of a collision due to their mass and construction, particularly dangerous opponents. Courtesy and patience are therefore especially important during the harvest, and if tractors come into sight, speed should be adjusted immediately. In general, agricultural machinery should be encountered with a defensive driving style, allowing for entering and crossing; keep a sufficient distance and, in case of doubt, refrain from overtaking, the
