Farmers urged to fit CPDs to quad bikes

Farmers will be able to fit a crush protection device (CPD) to their quad bikes at a discounted price through the Safer Rides initiative.

Farmers throughout the country have been encouraged to install crush protection devices (CPDs) on their quad bikes to help reduce harm on farm with the launch of the Safer Rides 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 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 reduced the cost of making quad bikes safer, with the aim of urgently addressing the high number of fatalities on farms.

“Quad bikes can be great workhorses for farmers, so making sure existing ones are made safer is one of the areas we are addressing.

“We’re focusing on CPDs right now as farmers and members have told us they work and have saved lives.

“We know farmers are under financial pressure right now. This is practical support that means cost shouldn’t get in the way of safety.

“Vehicle harm, particularly quads, is a leading cause of death but also near-misses, which could become a serious injury or fatality,” she said.

“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 rollovers.

“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,” Nelson said.

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.”