Did you know that more than half of fatal crashes in the UK happen on rural roads?
Rural roads are lifelines for moving livestock, crops, and machinery, but with vehicles getting bigger and traffic increasing, we all have our bit to do making these roads safer.
So, what steps can we take to improve road safety, not only for ourselves, but those we share the roads with?
We’ve had a look at a few options available..
Tractor Shield: Tractor Shield describes itself as a ‘bumper’ for tractors, ‘designed to increase the safety of agricultural machines for all road users,’.
In poor weather or low light, it can be hard to identify the outer edge of large farm vehicles, and let’s face it, many of our country roads are still more suited to a Ford 7810 (or your own preferred 1980s classic).
The ‘Tractor Shield’ makes the full width of the vehicle clearly visible. And in the event of an accident, it also reduces the risk of smaller vehicles becoming trapped under the bonnet and wheels of a tractor.
And with practical additions including tool storage – what’s not to love?! Learn more HERE
Fastview 360
Fastview 360’s cameras can help improve machinery safety both on and off the road – so it’s a winner for us.
The cameras improve visibility making it easier for operators to see surroundings and spot hazards, including people and other vehicles. The easily adjustable cameras can help you optimise safety no matter the job, while remote fleet access allows managers to monitor the safety of lone workers. Learn more HERE
HEAD TO TOW – Earlier today, we shared Harry’s story, but have you heard of the Head to Tow app? Part of The Tilly Your Trailer initiative Jane Gurney set up following Harry’s fatal accident?
The Tilly is an annual, inspection and service carried out by a list of approved engineers to ensure trailers remain road worthy. Trailers are returned to the original specification and, once checked and restored, are issued with a certificate – basically it’s like an MOT for trailers.
If an incident occurs, the certificate can help demonstrate that the owner has fulfilled their duty of care and sought to regularly maintain the trailer and the Head To Tow app supports with daily checks and manuals offering extra piece of mind for everybody. Learn more HERE
What3words – Unless you have been living on the moon for the past few years, you will probably have heard of What3words but have you actually downloaded it?
What3words divides the whole globe into 3×3 metre squares, each of which is given its own, unique, three-word address. This provides location accuracy that can be useful for a vast range of jobs on the farm. Have a new contractor starting and want to make sure they end up in the right field – use What3words.
But crucially What3words is now used by the majority of emergency services in the UK, meaning if you have an accident, breakdown, or any other issue, either on the roads or in the fields, you can pin-point your location, making it easier for help to reach you, and quickly. Learn more HERE
SmartFarmer – Winner of the 2020 Agri-tech Innovator of the Year award, the SmartFarmer App helps farmers stay safer when working with machinery.
Users are issued with a QR code for each piece of machinery which operators can scan to access a customisable daily check list. There’s even the opportunity to flag issues, giving you the confidence that, when heading out on rural roads, the machinery you’re driving has been well maintained and looked after. Learn more HERE
Waze
When driving between locations, you may not have a choice which roads to use, but if you do, the Waze app can make your journey smoother and safer.
Providing live traffic updates, route recommendations and hazard alerts, Waze helps you stay informed on your journey. Learn more HERE
Have we missed your favourite? Drop us an email or message on social to let us know what you use.
