Tractor awareness signs placed in county

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
For many motorists traveling rural roads throughout Franklin County, it can be difficult to know when a tractor may be pulling on to the roadway.
Thanks to the help of the Franklin County extension office and the county highway department, that is now a little easier.
County extension coordinator Katernia Cole secured $1,600 in funding from the Northwest Alabama RC&D Council to place 18 tractor-warning signs in the county.
The Franklin County Highway Department used their discretion as where to place the signs.
"I went to a meeting with the Farmer's Federation and the speaker was talking about tractor awareness signs in Colbert County," Cole said. "I thought 'why doesn't Franklin County have those?"
In outlining her proposal for the grant money, Cole stated eight reasons why the sign placement was important for county residents.
In her plans, Cole said that she wanted motorists to be aware that agriculture is the most hazardous industry in the nation, that crashes involving farm machinery on public roads is five times more likely to result in a fatality and that the environment of rural roads contributes to increased crashes and more severe injuries.
"Farming is one of the leading industries in Franklin County," Cole said. "Agriculture happens to be one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. This awareness program is most important because farmers and citizens need to be more aware that crashes between agriculture machinery and motor vehicles are most unique to rural environments and involve slow moving machinery such as tractors, trailing equipment and combines."
The sign awareness campaign leads up to National Farm Safety Week, which is Sept. 20-26.