Farmer seriously injured after quad bike rolls down bank

The spike in quad bike incidents has led to renewed calls for better safety around bike use. Photo / Thinkstock

A farmer has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after his quad bike rolled more than 20 metres down a bank in Waikato.

The 36-year-old was spraying weeds when the bike crashed on a farm on Arapuni Rd near Te Awamutu about 11am, Constable Shane Jamieson said.

"He's got too close to a sideling [a contoured ridge along steep ground] and the bike's rolled down the hill. It appears to have rolled on top of him at some stage.''

The man suffered serious chest and shoulder injuries as the bike rolled about 20-30 metres down the face of the bank.

Mr Jamieson said the man was airlifted to Waikato Hospital by rescue helicopter.

He was conscious but in a lot of pain.

Labour investigators have been alerted to the incident.

The crash comes after four people were injured in separate quad bike crashes last week.

A spate of serious quad bike crashes over the Christmas holidays, including two deaths, prompted renewed calls for greater quad bike safety.