After three serious crashes involving tractors on Saturday, Waikato Police are asking motorists to be mindful of agricultural vehicles on our roads.
Police are also urging people driving agricultural vehicles to not put themselves or other road users at risk.
At 10.30am on Saturday, March 30, two people were seriously injured after a car and tractor collided on Oparure Road near Te Kuiti.
Just ten minutes later, a motorcyclist was critically injured after colliding with a tractor on Piakonui Road in Matamata-Piako district. The motorcyclist later died in hospital.
And at 9.45pm, a tractor collided with a car at the intersection of Pond Road and State Highway 29 in Matamata-Piako district. Initial enquiries indicate the tractor had gone through a stop sign and crashed into an oncoming car. Four people in the car were injured, one seriously.
Police have observed an increase in the number of agricultural vehicles on Waikato roads recently, as farmers take advantage of the dry weather to cut maize and make silage in preparation for winter.
“We know that it can be frustrating to be stuck behind slow-moving agricultural vehicles, but we’re asking motorists to be patient and only pass when it is safe to do so,” Police say.
“Similarly, we’re asking those on agricultural vehicles to be mindful of traffic around them, and to pull over and let traffic pass when it is safe to do so.
“We want every single person on our roads this weekend to get to their destination safely, which means focusing on the basics – watch your speed, put the phones away, don’t drive while impaired (including by fatigue), and ensure everyone is properly restrained,” Police say.
Police say they will be doing their part around prevention and enforcement, and need all road users to play their part and share the responsibility of safe driving.
