Rural road collisions set for summer spike
Drivers have been warned to be extra careful as rural road collisions with agricultural vehicles spike by more than 50% from May to September.
Rural road safety campaigner and insurer NFU Mutual has reported that during the summer harvest months, collisions between agricultural vehicles and third parties increase by 56%, with 391 instances recorded every month during the silage cutting, hay making, and harvesting season compared to 251 per month between October and April.
Andrew Chalk, rural road safety specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “The fact that harvesting needs to be done in good weather creates a perfect storm when it comes to road safety, with the summer seeing farmers and holidaymakers and day trippers rush to make the most of the sun.
“NFU Mutual claims data has consistently shown that this causes a spike in the number of collisions between agricultural vehicles and other road users.
“Our research has shown that 23% of motorists have been involved in a collision on a rural road, and that 26% felt unprepared to drive on rural roads after receiving their license, and sadly we also know the tragic consequences of this; almost 10,000 people lost their lives on rural roads in the decade ending in 2024, so a small change in behaviour can have a powerful impact.”
