Danish public broadcaster DR reported on August 14, 2026, that harvest traffic is fueling driver frustration on rural roads, prompting road safety advice from Rådet for Sikker Trafik.
Obscene gestures, hazardous overtaking maneuvers and blaring horns are part of everyday life for farmer Kim Skou Rasmussen when he drives his tractor during the harvest season. He farms on Nordfyn and spoke to DR about what he encounters behind the wheel. The broadcaster describes the current period as peak season for agricultural machinery on Danish roads.
Jakob Bøving Arendt, director of Rådet for Sikker Trafik, the Danish Road Safety Council, offered three pieces of advice in the DR piece. His first point is that motorists should leave home in good time, so that unexpected delays do not push them into risky decisions. According to Arendt, drivers who feel they need to make up lost time turn even a small obstacle, such as a farm machine or a red light, into a large problem.
Arendt also warned motorists never to attempt hazardous overtaking of large vehicles, including when a car behind is pressuring them to do so. He said such maneuvers can result in very serious accidents. As noted by DR, road signs in rural areas warn of crossing agricultural traffic, particularly during the harvest.
Advice for both motorists and farmers
His second point is that farm machinery has a legitimate place in traffic. Per Arendt, the vehicles are not on the road to annoy other motorists, but are transporting food that will later be eaten. He added that the machines are often heavy and large, and therefore cannot simply pull onto the shoulder.
Arendt’s third piece of advice is directed at farmers. He suggested that they consider what time of day they use busy country roads, and plan trips for periods with less traffic. According to him, avoiding rush hour reduces long queues of cars and makes the trip safer for everyone in traffic.
DR also spoke with three motorists in Otterup on Nordfyn, all of whom admitted to becoming impatient during the harvest season. Kirsten Bjørnskov said she has made hazardous overtaking maneuvers and has driven too fast because of the adrenaline. She said this upsets her, and that she should learn to breathe for a couple more seconds.
Torben Dyhr told DR that he often becomes impatient because many machines are on the road when he drives to work. He said consideration must work both ways, and that a tractor driver with 20 cars behind can pull over and let them pass. Rita Nielsen said she gets somewhat irritated by the slow pace, but that farm vehicles usually pull to the side, and that they are entitled to be there.
The DR article gives no policy or regulatory trigger for the coverage. The stated reason for the timing is the harvest itself, which brings more tractors and combine harvesters onto roads across the country. Arendt noted that the harvest is a short period.
Motorists unfamiliar with Danish rural roads can find general guidance on driving in Denmark.
