Tips for Driving Your Tractor on the Road

A tractor is the backbone of any agricultural operation as it allows farmers to accomplish a wide variety of heavy-duty tasks on their farms. As with most rugged and durable machines, you need to keep safety in mind when operating them, especially when driving a tractor on the road. To help you out with that, we at Central Arkansas Mahindra have compiled this short guide on some safety precautions you can take. For all your tractor and other farm equipment needs, visit us at our location in Little Rock, AR today!

Follow the Rules and Regulations

Tractors are slower moving vehicles as compared to commuter vehicles, so try and limit the amount of time you spend on roads. If it’s absolutely necessary, try to travel on roads at times where there’s little to no traffic. Make sure you have a slow-moving vehicle emblem. Remember to use your turn signals properly as sometimes motorists assume a tractor that has slowed down is letting them pass, while it might just have slowed down to take a turn.

When you can, pull off the road to let cars pass you safely. Use hand signals to let motorists know you’re letting them pass you. If you can, use pilot vehicles to escort your tractor on longer trips. You should familiarize yourself with local laws about tractors on roads to avoid any legal violations.

Lights

To make your tractor street-legal, it must have two forward-facing headlights, a red tail light that’s continuous and visible for 500 feet, and hazard lights. The hazard lights must be activated when you’re on a public road as an extra warning to other motorists that you may not be up to the speed limit.

Licenses

You don’t need a specific license to drive your tractor on public roads, but if your tractor and any trailer have a Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) beyond the permissible limit, you’ll need a commercial driver’s license (CDR). Make sure to obey all rules of the road, since breaking these can result in significant fines.

Insurance

You will need to have proper insurance for driving your tractor on the road. It’s a specific type of insurance so you must discuss it with your insurance agent to go over your policy and update it as required.

We hope that this guide has been useful. If you have any questions or need help, be sure to get in touch with us at Central Arkansas Mahindra. We are conveniently located in Little Rock, AR, and proudly serve all those in Sherwood, Conway, and Hot Springs. Our team will be happy to assist you, so stop by today!