* Growing up in rural Iroquois County, I knew people who were killed or maimed while driving through rural intersections without stopping during late summer…

Police officials have issued a warning to drivers regarding an increase in crashes, primarily attributed to reduced visibility at rural intersections. This reduction in visibility is a direct result of the ongoing growth of corn, a significant crop in Illinois. Law enforcement is advising motorists to slow down and come to a complete stop at these intersections to ensure safety and prevent accidents.

The warning comes as corn growth continues.

Authorities aim to ensure that drivers can safely navigate these areas, emphasizing that preventive measures are crucial to mitigating potential hazards.

Chief Tyler Heleine of the Coles County Sheriff’s Office said, ”We highly suggest that you do that. It will prevent an accident. And that’s our main goal. This was prompted because we’ve had some serious accidents and, I believe, they can be prevented if we slow down, and so just share it. Talk to your family member, talk to the young drivers about it.”

Responsible farmers will not plant or will mow down corn near intersections, which rarely have stop signs. But not every farmer is responsible. They plant as close to the roads as possible.

At night back then, we would turn off our headlights for a second, turn them on and (just to be sure) turn them back off again as we approached unregulated blind intersections at night. But not everyone was lucky.

So, to my many rural friends, be careful out there. Just stop and make sure you live.