Gardaí in Kilkenny are appealing for farmers and contractors to think about road safety this silage season.

A tractor was stopped by the Kilkenny Roads Policing Unit of an Garda Síochána over the weekend when it was clear that bales that were being towed by the tractor were not safely secured with straps.

The vehicle towing the flat-bedded trailer was instructed to remain grounded until straps had been tied and the load sufficiently secured.

“As can be seen, no attempt had been made to secure the load with straps,” said an Garda Síochána in a social media post addressing the incident.

“The consequences of these bales falling would have been serious for other road users/pedestrians,” the post continued.

Annual appeal

Both the IFA and the Health and Safety Authority have issued an annual appeal for road safety at the onset of the silage cutting season this May.

The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) had also called for calm in the operation of machinery on farms earlier in the month.