A Summary of Roadway Accidents Involving Agricultural Machinery

Four years of Ohio highway accident data (1989-1992) were analyzed for patterns in accidents involving agricultural machinery. Seventy-eight percent of two-vehicle accidents occurred during daylight hours, with a peak occurrence time interval of 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. Sideswipe and angle collisions were predominant accident types. Forty-two percent of the nighttime accidents were rear end collisions compared to 8% of the daylight crashes. Turning left was the most common action preceding sideswipe and angle crashes. Operator age, weather conditions, and alcohol use were not major factors in the majority of these accidents.