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This next week is National Farm Safety and Health Week, which takes place every year during the third week of September, as the harvest season ramps up for farmers.

With the theme this year “Don’t Learn Safety by Accident,” the week raises a spotlight on the dangers of farming and the need to take extra precautions to protect farmers and others.

According to the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, the agricultural sector is still the most dangerous in America with 417 fatalities, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This annual promotion initiated by the National Safety Council has been proclaimed by each sitting U.S. president since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 and raises awareness about several issues, including grain bin safety, rural roadway safety, skidloader safety and other topics.

We hope farmers will take a moment to review their safety protocols as they dive into the harvest season and that motorists will be on alert in the coming weeks.

It’s a matter of fact that if you live in the Midwest, you will be sharing the roads with farmers heading to the fields to plant and when taking in their harvest. It’s also a matter of fact that the roads weren’t built for farm implements. The massive machines tend to take up large swaths of highways, but it’s a matter of necessity as they move from field to field to bring in the crops that support our country.

Be even more cautious when driving, limit distractions and drive at safe speeds in case you encounter something unexpected.

Like with plows this winter, don’t push to pass simply in a rush. It’s often hard to see what’s coming toward you, especially in the twilight hours.

Don’t become another statistic.