Safe driving and working with agricultural and forestry vehicles in the Republic of Slovenia

Abstract

If we want to reduce the number of fatalities and injured people because of driving and working with agricultural and forestry vehicles, we have to regulate the whole area of use such vehicles. First step for this are conformity assessment procedures before putting agricultural and forestry vehicles on the market to achieve that only approved vehicles will come to the market. At the moment of the registration procedure of these vehicles for the use on public roads and for work these vehicles have to be equipped with the equipment that is obliged and prescribed in the EU harmonised legislation and in the national legislation. In the exploitation these vehicles have to be in good condition that is checked with the periodic roadworthiness tests. This area is well regulated and harmonised because it is prescribed in the EU legislation. And finally the police and different inspectorates perform the roadside inspections that check the technical condition of these vehicles at driving and also at work on the field. On the other side also the drivers of agricultural and forestry vehicles need education in order to recognise what is the proper use of these vehicles, where their limits are and how to recognise the moments where they are only one step from causing an accident. If all mentioned systems work properly there is a possibility to reduce the number of fatalities and injured people with such vehicles.