Farmers are being encouraged to install crush protection devices on their quad bikes to help reduce harm on farm with the launch of the Safer Rides new incentive programme.
From 2019 to 2023, there were 22 quad bike-related fatalities in New Zealand, most involving rollovers and steep grades.
Now, Safer Farms, Rabobank, ANZCO Foods, LIC, Craigmore Sustainables and PGG Wrightson have teamed up with retailers Trax Equipment and Quadbar to offer a discount of up to 75% for the crush protection devices (CPDs).
The devices provide space underneath an upturned quad bike by spreading the weight of the bike and either creating space for survival or allowing the bike to roll off the occupant.
The incentive programme is being led by Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation dedicated to leading and inspiring a safer farm culture throughout New Zealand, to ultimately prevent injury and fatality on farm.
Safer Rides is part of Safer Farms’ Farm Without Harm strategy, a whole-of-sector and whole systems approach to design preventable harm out of New Zealand’s farming systems.
Wairarapa farmer and Farm Without Harm ambassador Lindy Nelson said Safer Rides reduces the cost of making quad bikes safer, with the aim of urgently addressing the high number of fatalities on farms.
“Vehicle harm, particularly quads, is a leading cause of death but also near misses, which could become a serious injury or fatality.
“We urgently need to make fail safe solutions more available. The past year has been our deadliest yet for ATV-related fatalities in New Zealand, with the majority involving roll-overs.
“Farm Without Harm recognises that solving this problem is going to require all of industry coming together and the Safer Rides programme is a practical way the industry is supporting farmers.”
Farmers will be able to apply for a heavily discounted CPD via a redeemable voucher to the value of $400. That will mean almost half of the retail price is covered by Safer Rides.
Grace Eglinton, an agribusiness analyst at Rabobank – one of the initiative’s platinum sponsors – said the health and safety of farmers was paramount.
“We need more solutions to minimise injury and fatalities on farm, and this is one way we hope to make a difference.”
Safer Farms and Rabobank are piloting the incentive with an initial 100 discount vouchers available. Participating retailers are also providing a further 15% discount.
Four CPD products are available under the programme. These are the QuadBar Original ($635) and Quadbar flexibar ($780) from Quadbar, and the QuadGuard ($838) and Lifeguard ($1724) from Trax Equipment.
Safer Farms is also looking for farmers to share their two cents on why CPDs have been the right choice for them. If farmers use one, and would like to share their thoughts, they can email info@saferfarms.org.nz.
To apply for a CPD discount code, farmers should visit: www.farmwithoutharm.co.nz/saferrides.
