Quad bike safety advice for farmers after Vanner death

Gavin Vanner. Picture / Getty Images

Molly Vanner did not die in vain. Prompted by the court case surrounding the death of the 4-year-old, Federated Farmers is sending guidelines to farmers on the safe use of quad bikes.

A fortnight ago a jury in the High Court at New Plymouth found Molly's father, dairy farmer Gavin John Vanner, not guilty of her manslaughter.

He was also cleared of a lesser charge of committing criminal nuisance by endangering his daughter's life in allowing her to ride a quad bike on August 30 on the family farm at Kakaramea in South Taranaki.

Molly was killed when the 368kg bike rolled on top of her when she was on it alone after her father stopped to make a cellphone call.

Federated Farmers said that in association with ACC it was sending all its members guidelines for the safe use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on New Zealand farms.

"Recent publicity around the Molly Vanner case has highlighted the need to better promote the ATV guidelines," Federated Farmers president Charlie Pedersen said.

"We heard that message loud and clear, so we will do our best to improve public awareness about the guidelines, and call on other groups to do the same.

"Accidents like the Vanner case have happened in the past and the federation is committed to working to ensure they do not happen again. Farmers are strongly urged to follow the ATV guidelines."

- NZPA