BEDFORD COUNTY, Va.- – W.P. Johnson spends most of his days on the family farm in Bedford County. They're planting crops and hay season is coming, which means he and other farmers will be on the road a lot more.
The Virginia Farm Bureau urges people to use caution around farm vehicles after a fatal crash last week in Bedford County involving a 75-year-old farmer. Police say a driver trying to pass in a no-passing zone hit the farmer's tractor.
Most farm equipment can't go any faster than 20 miles per hour. Johnson often travels when there's less traffic.
"We have a lot of older equipment that don't have lights. We use a lot of hand signals and if people don't know what that means, they think we are waving them by and in reality, we're not. We're trying to turn left or right or something of that nature," said Johnson.
His wife specializes in raising awareness about farm safety and preventing farm accidents.
"A lot of times it's not just the injuries itself. It means the loss of the farm or the loss of the entire operation for the family," said Johnson.
"We want to go home. We have families we want to be with you.