Learn how to grow your business and meet other like minded farmers with FG26/46, Farmers Guardians business skills group. Know your responsibility for mud on rural roads
CONSIDER the potential damage from wet mud on the road, says NFU Mutual, which this week revealed in the last three years, claims for deaths and serious injuries caused by mud amounted to £11.5 million.
The rural insurer has warned that, as winter approaches, extra care is needed to ensure mud is not left on the highway by tractors, trailers, harvesters and other vehicles.
NFU Mutual’s John Kenny says it is very often driver error or excess speed which cause accidents from skidding on mud, but it is far better to avoid the risk.
“While most farmers are keenly aware of the risks associated with mud on roads, there is still some confusion about the law in this area, and farmers’ responsibilities to other road users,” he says.
Mr Kenny points out that depositing mud on the road is an offence under the Highways Act.
“It is the legal responsibility of the farmer to ensure every precaution is taken to avoid any mud being carried off the field,” he says. “Accepting that in cultivating and harvesting operations, some mud will inevitably end up on the road, it is important to make arrangements to remove it immediately.”
“If mud is left on the roads, warning signs should always be used to alert motorists to the potential hazard.”
NFU Mutual’s road guidelines
- Clean mud from vehicles, as far as is practical, before they are taken on roads
- Be prepared to hire in equipment to clean up accidentally deposited mud - check availability in advance
- Keep to your own farm roads and minor roads whenever possible
- Keep to low speeds - especially when travelling short distance - to help retain mud on vehicle tyres
- Keep a written record of your decisions on whether or not to deploy signs and/or to clean the road
- If there is a danger of mud being accidentally deposited on roads, use authorised ‘slippery road’ signs with a ‘mud on road’ sub-plate to alert other road users
- Make sure signs are positioned to give maximum visibility and warning to other road users
- Clean the road as necessary during the working day and always at the end of the working day
- Ensure staff and equipment suitable for the soil and weather conditions are available in case a ‘clean up’ is needed
- Where using contractors, ensure that prior agreement is reached on who is responsible for mud on road issues, such as signage and cleaning
Readers' comments (3)
Anonymous | 6 January 2011 4:36 pm
To whom should a member of the public report offences of this nature?
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Anonymous | 20 March 2011 10:03 pm
does that law apply to all states i live in mn.
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Anonymous | 25 March 2011 1:43 pm
We have a farmer who takes no notice whatsoever of teh state they leave the road and jsut gives abuse and threats when asked. They also burn animal waste and carcasses from the farm and an abbatoir with no thought for anyone. The local council dont care either as it has been reported to them and they do nothing.
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