Warning issued following four quad bike fatalities

Warning issued following four quad bike fatalities

WorkSafe is advocating for a renewed focus in rural New Zealand on the risks linked to quad bike roll-overs, which have sadly claimed the lives of four farmers across the nation in the previous three weeks.

New Zealand's workplace safety regulator says it's conducting an investigation into all four fatalities, with the initial incident taking place on 18 July in Wairarapa. Similar incidents have prompted comparable warnings in Australia following quad bike fatalities in South Australia, suggesting this remains a persistent hazard across farming communities in both countries.

Investigation Underway

"Our sympathy is with every family and community mourning these sudden deaths. Although our investigations are in their early stages, the trend is worrying enough for us to sound the alarm already," says WorkSafe principal inspector Graham Bates.

"Doing a risk assessment of your terrain and tasks must be the top priority before getting on a quad bike. This is a time of year when we are experiencing variable weather and growth, plus variable ground conditions. Sloped surfaces and steep terrain can be especially problematic and have sadly been a factor in some of the recent cases."

Quad Bikes Rank Among Leading Causes of Farm Fatalities

WorkSafe says incidents involving farm vehicles rank among the leading two causes of workplace fatalities in Aotearoa, making agriculture a key focus area in WorkSafe's updated strategy. Mobile plant such as quad bikes carries significant risk when operators fail to account for slope, load and terrain before setting off.

Farmers should treat quad bikes with the same caution given to hazardous plant used in construction and transport sectors, where formal risk controls have long been standard practice. Reducing plant-related risk on farms means applying the same rigour that construction and transport operators bring to hazardous mobile plant every working day.

Reducing Risk on Farms and Worksites

Practical steps for managing quad bike risk include:

• Assessing terrain and slope conditions before every ride
• Matching vehicles and attachments to the task at hand
• Maintaining plant according to manufacturer specifications
• Training operators on load limits and working conditions

Businesses operating quad bikes and other mobile plant alongside construction and transport equipment can strengthen compliance with tailored ATV and quad bike safe work method statement products, which outline risk controls specific to farm and worksite conditions. For operations running additional fixed plant, resources such as a timber moulding machine standard operating procedure can also support broader plant safety compliance. This latest warning follows a pattern seen in five quad bike fatalities recorded during 2024 and a separate case where a teen was hospitalised following a quad bike crash, reinforcing why terrain risk assessments and proper training remain critical before every ride.

See full details here for further information on WorkSafe's investigation and ongoing rural safety guidance.