Quad bike death 'a wake-up call'

Cindy Kiro

The death of Taranaki girl Molly Vanner in a quad bike accident should act as a wake-up call for the farming community and their disregard for children's safety, says the Children's Commissioner.

Cindy Kiro said people needed to learn it was "not okay or normal" to let children drive quad bikes on farms.

Molly, 4, died from head injuries last August after she was crushed by the quad bike her father, Gavin John Vanner, 37, had let her ride on his dairy farm in Kakaramea, south Taranaki.

Mr Vanner was last week found not guilty in the High Court at New Plymouth of manslaughter and not guilty of the lesser charge of committing criminal nuisance by endangering his daughter's life in allowing her to ride the bike.

"The evidence tells us quite clearly that this is preventable just simply by not allowing very young children - 4, 5, 6 years old - to be in charge of a vehicle that is actually a weapon," Dr Kiro said.

The bike Molly rode to her death had faulty brakes and poor steering.

Dr Kiro said one of the most shocking aspects of the case was that during the trial, 12 people testified that letting children ride quad bikes was normal practice.

"[Their testimonies] doesn't mean it's right, it just means that 12 people should learn a lesson from this."

She said about 14 children under 16 die "just on these vehicles alone" in a year.

"It's an opportunity for all of us to basically be reminded of the importance of not allowing very young children to be in charge of a vehicle.

"I don't think locking up parents in these sorts of occasions is necessarily the answer, but there has to be a clear message that you can't be negligent."

Mr Vanner has since said he will not allow his two young daughters to ride on quad bikes and appealed to farmers to take more care with children.

- NZPA