Harvest may have already started, but the safety precautions needed while driving around during harvest are ever present.

Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright says that farm equipment is as big as it has ever been, and that the machines aren’t able to follow the flow of traffic like other vehicles. He reminds drivers to be vigilant when following or meeting a farm implement, be prepared to slow down, and stay behind it until there is a safe amount of room to pass. Arganbright also warns about environmental factors that can make driving unsafe.

“Again, I tell everyone to be aware of the tall corn. This year the corn is taller than usual, and at the four way, uncontrolled intersections, you need to slow down and yield, even though there’s not a yield sign or stop sign there, because you can’t see around the corners. And you need to be careful at those intersections. Everyone just needs to have some patience and cooperate with the farmers that are taking out the crop.”

Arganbright explains that it’s also important to keep an eye out for animals, especially deer. He explains that as fields are harvested, deer are pushed from some hiding spots they’ve been frequenting since the end of the summer.