Farmers Worry About Quad Bikes

in Motorways by Jon C — April 12, 2010 at 2:49 pm | 1 comment

The fatal weekend farming quad bike accident has led to Federated Farmers saying it’s wrong that the public thinks that whenever something goes wrong with an ATV, that farmers are at fault.

“ATVs are heavy, powerful machines and people need training to ride them,” says Donald Aubrey, Federated Farmers agricultural health and safety spokesperson.

“We’ve been doing a lot of work with ACC and the Department of Labour to promote education for farm use, but recreational use seems to have fallen by the wayside. The farmers’ body is s urging more stringent education for the recreational use of all terrain vehicles .

“The tragic death of Michelle Goodgame this weekend highlights an area of concern around ATV use that needs to be addressed,” he says.

Ms Goiodgame died and her seven-year-old daughter was seriously injured in the accident at Whareatea Bay, on the eastern side of d’Urville Island, in the Marlborough Sounds. Reports say the bike was m oving equipment to a bach from the beach up a gravel track.

Mr Aubrey says that Federated Farmers is deeply concerned about the influx of recreational accidents, especially when they involve children. “Sadly, statistics show that while we’re taking one step forward in regards to the safe use of ATVs on farm, we seem to be taking two steps back when it comes to recreational use.

“The only way that future tragedies like this can be avoided is through better education. “Even though incidents involving farm use are actually declining, that’s no consolation in this case.”

Tags: ACC ATVs department of labour federated Farmers quad bikes