Local farmers talk road safety after fatal tractor-involved crash

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — The Tennessee Highway Patrol confirmed a man died on Tuesday after crashing into a tractor in Madison County.

Tractors roared Wednesday at Jimmy Stanford’s farm in Madison County. The 72-year-old farmer said he has been driving a long time. “I try to guess what the other person is fixing to do that I’m meeting,” he said.

Stanford sometimes has to drive big equipment on the main road. He said his concern is not seeing someone run up on him. “We’re not going out here just trying to take the whole show,” Stanford said.

Troopers said a man crashed his car into a tractor Tuesday on Highway 70 just outside of Jackson. Investigators said the man driving the car died trying to pass other vehicles in a no-passing zone.

“You can come up on a tractor pretty quickly,” said Gina Thompson, communications director for the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Council Inc. “They will let you by when they see there’s a safe spot for them to pull over.”

Tractors have headlights, but they look a lot like lights on cars, according to the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Council.

Thompson said stay at least two car lengths away and remember not all farm equipment have mirrors. “Just because you see them, doesn’t necessarily mean they are seeing you,” she said.

Stanford encouraged people to be patient. “When they see a tractor coming, just slow down,” he said.

The THP said the driver of the tractor involved in Tuesday’s crash was not hurt.