With Road Safety Week 2025 just around the bend, this year's theme, "Safe vehicles save lives", serves as a timely reminder for all drivers to review their vehicles and travel practices.
Whether you’re behind the wheel of the family car or an agricultural vehicle, ensuring roadworthiness is not just a matter of safety - it’s a legal obligation.
Combining guidance from the Health and Safety Executive and Transport Scotland with the relevant legislation governing road usage and safety, we’ve created a must-read checklist for agricultural vehicle users.
General vehicle safety
As with your family car, before using public roads you must ensure your agricultural vehicle is in good condition and roadworthy. Check that brakes, lights, indicators, mirrors and wipers are in working order, tyres are in good condition and properly inflated and mirrors are fitted and adjusted correctly. Cab windows should be clean and unobstructed. To avoid depositing mud or debris onto the roads, mudguards should be as clean as possible, free from large clumps of mud. Driving a vehicle on public roads which is not roadworthy or of good condition means you could be prosecuted under the Road Traffic Act 1988, resulting in fines up to £2,500, endorsement of your licence and possible disqualification.
Attachments and loads
If driving agricultural vehicles with front-mounted attachments on public roads, it’s important to remove these where possible, fold them back and secure or cover them with guards. Attachments left out and uncovered can be deemed dangerous. Any load must be stable and secure. Drivers should not travel with raised or loaded front attachments on public roads. Failure to comply with these rules could once again result in criminal prosecution under the 1988 Act, this time for dangerous driving. This carries a punishment of up to a two-year custodial sentence and/or an unlimited fine, along with a driving ban. If you’re not disqualified you could still be hit with a significant number of points.
Documentation and driver operation
Drivers and registered keepers of agricultural vehicles must make sure the vehicle is registered and appropriately taxed and insured. Fines of up to £5,000 and/or licence points may be issued as punishment for untaxed or uninsured vehicles, and the vehicle could be seized. Drivers should ensure they have a valid licence for the vehicle being driven, seatbelts should be worn if fitted and attachments should not be lifted or lowered when turning.
For vehicles with multi-mode steering, two-wheel steer mode should be used on public roads. Non-compliance may result in breaches of both the 1988 Act and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, with possible fines up to £20,000 for individuals and unlimited fines for companies, penalty points and the chance of a custodial sentence for serious breaches. Vehicle maintenance records should be kept up to date and, if required for the journey, risk assessments must be reviewed and completed.
General good practice
Agricultural vehicle users and farm owners are well advised to improve visibility and safety at field entrances and exits. Fixed mirrors, warning signs and deploying banksmen are common tools which should be considered to aid visibility and improve the safety of vehicles both exiting fields and already on the road.
Take time this Road Safety Week to review your travel practices, check all your vehicles are roadworthy and don’t fall foul of the law.
