Farmers have been urged to take extra care when using GPS systems with their tractors, following a surge of electricity-related agricultural accidents.

The Grantham Journal reported that Western Power Distribution (WPD) is warning that accidents involving electricity are endangering life and costing farmers thousands of pounds a year.

A recent GPS related crash between a tractor and pylon happened in Nottinghamshire - as pictured in the Grantham Journal

The paper said that every year, WPD responds to hundreds of incidents in which farm workers and / or vehicles have come into contact with electricity, usually overhead lines. One of these incidents took place at Flawborough near Grantham recently, when 1,300 homes were left without power after a tractor crashed into a pylon while using autosteer.

The pylon and lines were brought down. Nobody was injured in the accident.

According to the report the latest figures show that at least one agricultural accident involving overhead lines is reported every day - up by more than 100 a year, from 263 in 2013 to 378 in 2018.

In the last five years, there have been more than 1,140 near misses involving electricity on farmland.

Most accidents involve farm vehicles fitted with Sat Nav or other automated steering systems, which do not take into account poles, pylons and overhead lines nearby.

Ian Brooks, WPD Distribution Manager for South Lincolnshire, is quoted by the Grantham Journal as saying, “Thanks to data analytics, GPS and remote sensing, most tractors can now map a field, drive themselves and precisely calibrate their movements to minimise wasted fuel, fertiliser or seed. But, although automation works well in many ways, drivers still need to be diligent in the cab and not switch off.

“This campaign is all about working together. We want to give farmers the information and advice they need to be aware of the dangers and do their jobs safely so that we, in turn, can operate the network safely.”

The Telegraph this week also ran a story on the subject, quoting Stuart Roberts, vice president at National Farmers’ Union, as saying, “Knowing the heights and locations of power lines is essential, as is communicating this information to all staff and visitors to farms.”