As harvest continues across Custer County, Sheriff Dan Osmond is urging both farmers and motorists to slow down, stay alert, and look out for one another on rural roads.
“It’s very long hours and long days and every day of the week because you’ve got to get this stuff done,” Osmond said. “You just need to remember, you know, hey, I’ve still got to get some rest. I’ve still got to pay attention. When you’re driving that truck loaded full of corn down the road, you can’t be falling asleep or not be aware of your surroundings.”
Osmond said his office typically sees an increase in roadway congestion this time of year as farm equipment, grain trucks, and passenger vehicles share the same highways.
“It is just a time where there’s just more congestion on the roadway,” he said. “Maybe there’s some people driving the trucks that aren’t used to driving it. It’s not what they normally do… you’re a little tired and that creates some issues too.”
According to the University of Nebraska Extension, accidents can happen quickly when faster-moving vehicles approach slow-moving equipment. A car traveling 65 miles per hour will meet a combine moving 15 miles per hour in just 36 seconds if it’s half a mile ahead — and only 18 seconds if it’s a quarter-mile away.
The Extension report urged farmers to make sure all warning lights and slow-moving vehicle emblems are visible, to transport combine heads separately, and to avoid traveling after dark or during high-traffic times. For drivers, patience is key. Motorists are reminded to give farm equipment plenty of room, avoid sudden stops, and wait for safe opportunities to pass.
Osmond echoed that message.
“It just comes back to… having that patience and just allowing that little bit extra time,” he said. “That 20 seconds that you tried to save by going around it is the 20 seconds that’s going to be the difference between getting in an accident or not.”
Beyond the roads, Nebraska Extension also reminds farmers to take precautions during grain handling. That includes using harnesses when entering bins, locking out augers before servicing, and wearing N-95 masks to prevent respiratory issues from grain dust.
“Drive with attention to what else is going on besides just you,” Osmond said. “A little bit of patience and a little bit of awareness can make all the difference.”
Listen to our full conversation with Sheriff Osmond below, which includes a ‘bonus’ conversation about Halloween safety
