Cobourg, ON – October 8, 2026 – Northumberland County, in partnership with the Northumberland Federation of Agriculture and the Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), is launching a public awareness campaign to educate motorists to share the road safely with farm equipment during harvest season.
The campaign, Slow Down, Stay Alert, and Wait to Pass, encourages drivers to recognize the orange-and-red slow-moving vehicle (SMV) triangle and understand what it means: the vehicle ahead is travelling slowly and cannot speed up. Drivers should slow down, maintain a safe following distance, and only pass when it is safe and legal to do so.
Every fall, tractors, wagons, combines and other farm equipment travel on Northumberland roads, moving between fields, farm properties and agricultural facilities. While these vehicles may be slower than regular traffic, they have a right to use the road. The idea for the campaign was first raised by Cramahe Township Agriculture Advisory Committee, whose members identified recurring safety concern around drivers following too closely, passing unsafely, or not understanding how to respond when they encounter a SMV sign.
“Harvest is how Northumberland feeds our communities, and it means more farm equipment sharing our roads than at any other time of year,” says Northumberland County Director of Public Works Denise Marshall. “Farm equipment has every right to be on our roads. This campaign is about making sure drivers know what to expect and how to respond when they encounter a slow-moving vehicle. A few extra seconds of patience can prevent a serious collision.”
Extra caution is needed when motorists encounter farm equipment on the road. Slow-moving vehicles can be large, wide and difficult to manoeuvre, and may need to make unexpected turns or move closer to the shoulder.
“Our farmers are out on these roads because that’s where they work – moving equipment between fields, to grain elevators, and back home again,” says Northumberland Federation of Agriculture President Allan Carruthers. “We’re grateful to Northumberland County and the OPP for standing behind our farm families with a campaign that helps keep everyone on the road safe.”
Ontario Federation of Agriculture statistics indicate the risks associated with slow-moving farm vehicles are significant. Statistics show that slow-moving vehicles are five to eight times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision per kilometre travelled than other motor vehicles. Farm equipment collisions can also happen in good driving conditions: eight out of 10 collisions involving farm equipment occur during daylight hours, while seven out of 10 occur in dry road conditions.
According to the OPP, collisions involving farm equipment can result in serious injuries or fatalities, including incidents involving rollovers, soft shoulders and collisions with passenger vehicles.
“Motorists can encounter farm equipment on Northumberland roads at any time of the year, particularly during planting and harvest seasons,” said PC, James Clarke of Northumberland OPP. “Drivers should expect slower-moving vehicles, maintain a safe following distance, and only pass when it is safe and legal to do so. A moment of patience can prevent a serious collision.”
Motorists are reminded to:
- Slow down when approaching farm equipment displaying a slow-moving vehicle orange triangle sign.
- Stay back and maintain a safe following distance.
- Stay alert for turns, wide equipment and unexpected movements.
- Wait to pass until it is safe and legal to do so.
- Be patient – the extra few seconds it takes to safely pass could prevent a serious collision.
The campaign will include public education and an on-the-ground presence. Large portable roadway signs will be placed on County roads in rural areas and at key entry points into the County, supported by a coordinated communications effort across Northumberland municipalities.
For more information about slow-moving vehicle sign requirements, visit Ontario.ca – Slow-moving vehicle sign requirements.
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