Why Michigan Drivers May Need to Slow Down This Fall

If you've never gotten stuck behind a piece of oversized farm equipment on a winding country road, are you even a true Michigander?

Yes, it's that wonderful time of year when hay fever wreaks havoc on your sinuses and slow-moving tractors take over Michigan's rural roads. That's right, it's harvest season in Michigan!

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As fall harvest season really starts to pick up, the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) is reminding drivers to slow down and give farm vehicles plenty of room as they navigate rural roads.

One small, temporary inconvenience and a little bit of patience could save a life-- and it will barely take up any of your time! In fact, as the Michigan OHSP explained in their Facebook post,

even if you have to slow down to 20 mph and follow a tractor for one mile, it takes only three minutes of your time – about the same amount as waiting for one stoplight.

Farming and Michigan go hand-in-hand, so there's really no avoiding the occasional crawl behind slow-moving farm equipment this time of year. But hey, it's a small price to pay for all those delicious Michigan apples, sweet corn, and other homegrown goodies that help keep our Great Lakes State thriving!

With my luck, I only ever seem to encounter these slow-moving vehicles when I'm already running late-- go figure. But remember, it's barely even going to make a difference in your arrival time. You've got three minutes to spare a life, right?