Illinois Police Warn Drivers About This Dangerous Corn Season Hazard

An Illinois sheriff's department has issued an important warning for drivers as accident numbers rise during corn season.

AlinaMD

Small Town Life Lessons

When my family moved from Rockford to Pecatonica nearly five years ago, I thought the biggest adjustment would be a longer drive time to Target.

I was wrong.

Living in a rural area comes with its own unique set of surprises, and you learn them pretty quickly.

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You get used to waving at strangers as you drive by because that's just what people do.

You learn that getting stuck behind a tractor isn't an inconvenience.

Deer become a far bigger concern than traffic... then there's the corn.

corn field in selective photography

If you've never lived in a rural area, or only drive through one occasionally, it's hard to appreciate just how enormous cornfields become by the middle of summer. One minute you can see for what feels like miles along your daily commute, and the next, eight-foot-tall walls of corn have completely blocked your view around an intersection. It still makes me a nervous wreck.

That's exactly why Illinois law enforcement is reminding drivers to be extra careful this time of year.

Important Corn Warning for Illinois Drivers

As corn reaches its peak growing season, visibility at rural intersections becomes a serious safety concern.

Drivers pulling onto rural roads often can't see approaching vehicles until they're almost in the intersection, creating a very dangerous situation.

The good news is these crashes are largely preventable if you just slow down.

Corn season is one of the many things that makes Illinois beautiful this time of year, but those fields deserve a healthy dose of respect, especially when you're behind the wheel. Please be careful, and don't forget to thank a farmer today.