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Parking on Slopes

A machine that rolls after you step away can injure someone or damage property before you can react. Parking on a slope is a decision worth slowing down for.

Why is parking on a slope a problem?

Gravity is always working on a parked machine. Brakes can slip, linkages can wear, and ground can soften after rain or thaw, so a machine that stayed put yesterday may move today.

The risk is not only to the driver. A machine that begins to roll can strike a person, another vehicle or a building, and people often stand right beside parked equipment when they climb on or off.

Should you park on level ground whenever possible?

Yes. The safest answer to a slope is to avoid it. Choose a flat, firm area for regular parking, and build a habit of driving the extra distance to reach it. If a job forces you to stop on a grade, treat it as a temporary situation and plan it.

Think about where the machine would go if it moved. Parking with a clear, open area downhill and no one working below the machine is a sensible habit, and so is keeping gates and roads clear of equipment that could roll into them.

What does a safe shutdown routine include?

Follow the manufacturer's manual for your exact machine, because brake and transmission designs differ. In general terms, a routine covers setting the parking brake, placing the transmission in the position the manual recommends, lowering implements and loaders to the ground, shutting off the engine and removing the key.

Do each step in the same order every time so it becomes automatic. Before you leave the seat, check that the machine is not moving. When you return, do not assume it is as you left it.

• Parking brake set as the manual directs
• Implements and loaders lowered to the ground
• Engine off and key removed
• Wheel chocks used where the manual or your farm plan calls for them

Where do wheel chocks fit in?

Chocks are a backup to the brakes, not a replacement for them. Which wheels to block and what size to use depends on the vehicle and the grade, so rely on the manufacturer and on recognized safety resources rather than guesswork.

Keep chocks where you can reach them, such as on the machine or in a labeled spot in the shop. A chock left at the other end of the farm does not help anyone.

What conditions make slopes worse?

Wet grass, mud, ice, loose gravel and frozen ground that is starting to thaw can all reduce grip. A hill you park on safely in dry weather may be a poor choice after a storm.

Loads change things too. A loaded wagon, a full loader bucket or a tank with liquid moving inside behaves differently from an empty machine. If conditions change, move the machine to level ground.

How can you build this into farm routines?

Make the parking rule part of how everyone on the farm works, including seasonal help and teenage family members. Show them where to park and what the shutdown steps are, and watch them do it the first few times.

Inspect brakes and linkages as part of regular maintenance and report any change, such as a soft pedal or a machine that creeps. Do not keep using equipment with a brake problem. Your dealer or a qualified mechanic can check it.

What should you check each time you come back to a parked machine?

Before you climb on, look at the machine and the ground around it. Is it where you left it? Are the wheels, chocks and implements as you set them? Has anything leaked, shifted or sunk into soft ground? A short look takes seconds and can catch a problem before it becomes an emergency.

Approach from a side where you can see the whole machine and where you would not be caught if it moved. Do not stand directly in front of or behind a machine on a grade. If you find that the machine has moved, treat the area as hazardous, keep other people away and find out why before using it again.

If a machine starts rolling while you are near it, do not try to stop it with your body. Get clear and call for help, and call 911 if anyone is hurt. Equipment can be repaired, and people cannot be replaced.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.