By Marlee Jackson 

Myron Johnson’s schedule was simple Oct. 12, 2024: Move a sprayer via Highway 431 and defoliate cotton.

It was a crisp, beautiful fall Saturday.

Then, as Johnson traveled just 15 mph, a sedan struck the sprayer’s back left tire. The motion crushed the car’s passenger side hood and deployed the airbag. Meanwhile, Johnson crashed through the cab’s glass door onto a landing platform as the sprayer leaned left toward the ground.

“I actually thought the machine blew up,” remembered Johnson, 63. “Then, everything quit sliding, and I could see the car.”

Later, the Henry County farmer gave thanks to the Lord for protection. He and the other driver walked away with minimal injuries.

Roadway Respect

Patience, situational awareness and understanding Alabama law can help reduce similar accidents, said Captain Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. 

Burkett said farmers are required to attach orange, reflective triangles to the back of machinery. Those slow-moving vehicle (SMV) signs mean equipment operates less than 25 mph — a sharp difference from most cars’ cruising speeds. Johnson’s sprayer was outfitted with the SMV sign, plus reflective tape and other indicators.

“As long as you have the SMV triangle properly displayed on that piece of equipment, they are totally…within the law and within their rights to get out there and operate on the roadway,” Burkett said.

Bypass Busy Routes

A year after the accident, Johnson said he bypasses busy thoroughfares when possible. 

“If I had it to do over again, I would have avoided the four-lane,” said Johnson, who serves on the Henry County Farmers Federation board. “I could have. It was a longer way to get to the field I was going to. I did have a reason for going (on Highway 431). It was the closest distance to the field I was going to start in, and I had a pattern in that field.”

Staying Safe

His advice for automobile drivers?

Pay attention.

Slowing down is a good rule of thumb, too, Johnson said. It takes just 5 seconds for a car moving 55 mph to close a gap the length of a football field with a tractor moving 15 mph. That’s especially important as harvest season rolls around and convoys of equipment outfitted with SMV triangles and flashing lights become more common.

A little awareness will go a long way toward safety — for both drivers of massive farm machinery and smaller vehicles, Johnson said.

“The good thing is harvest only lasts about three months, so we try to be done as quickly as we can,” he said. “Just bear with us, and we’ll be as courteous as we can. We appreciate the public doing the same.” 

Tips to Share the Road Safely
Drivers should:

• Slow down when they see a piece of farm machinery. 
• Watch for slow-moving vehicle signs — orange triangles required for vehicles that travel less than 25 mph.
• Look for electronic or hand turn signals. The size of farm equipment often dictates wide turns.
• Pass farm equipment cautiously. 
• Keep all tires on the road.
• Watch for flashing amber lights or reflective tape, which can mark sides of the equipment.
• Remember farmers have a right to drive on the road.