Agriculture - Increased risk of accidents during harvest time
Brandenburgan farmers are on the roads more frequently than usual during harvest season. The farmers' association in Brandenburg urges mutual consideration and special caution. For farmers, the window of opportunity for harvesting is limited. On average, harvesting is done with combine harvesters for only 21 days a year in Brandenburg. There are approximately 6000 farming machines in use in Brandenburg.
Besides tractors with an average power of 300 PS, combine harvesters with a width of up to nearly 3.50 meters are also included. The integrated tanks of the combine harvesters and the following tandem and tridem trailers for the grain have a capacity of up to 40 cubic meters.
Maintaining a safe distance reduces the risk of accidents
According to the information provided, these machines are therefore less frequently on the roads, but heavily loaded. Following vehicles should maintain a corresponding safe distance. A major hazard on Brandenburg's country roads is reportedly the left turn of large harvest convoys into fields, during which the drawn load momentarily blocks the road.
Further accident risks are posed by overtaking maneuvers of such convoys, which can be up to 18.75 meters long. The mandatory escort vehicle extends the convoy length further, making it more difficult to assess the safe overtaking distance. In such cases, overtaking should be avoided, it was stated.
- During Potsdam's harvest time, Brandenburg's farmers increase their road usage, despite the high accident risk associated with heavily loaded agriculture machines.
- Farmers in Brandenburg, including those in Potsdam, have a limited window for harvesting, often relying on combine harvesters for only 21 days a year, increasing the importance of maintaining a safe distance.
- After the annual agricultural harvest in Potsdam and Brandenburg, it's crucial to address the accent risks, such as left turns and overtaking maneuvers of large harvests, especially considering the added length of mandatory escort vehicles.
