TRAGEDY: Crash victim Robbie McKenzie, a "lovely young man." Picture/Facebook
The 14-year-old Whangarei Boys' High student who died in a quad bike crash south of Kaikohe last week has been described as a "lovely young man" who threw himself into everything he did.
Robbie McKenzie was bringing the cows in for milking on a family farm on Mataraua Road at about 5.30am on Thursday when the quad bike he was riding rolled into a drain, trapping him underneath.
His father found him, but, unable to move the bike, had to go back to the house for a truck to tow it off him. He attempted CPR then rushed him to Broadway Health in Kaikohe, which was still closed, so he called 111. An ambulance from the nearby St John station arrived minutes later but medics were unable to revive him, despite performing CPR for 45 minutes. They were aided by volunteers from the Kaikohe Fire Brigade.
The family, originally from Scotland, arrived in Northland via Australia three years ago. They bought a farm at Opononi, where the family is based, in 2011.
Robbie went to Kaikohe Christian School, which his older brother Eoghan and little sister Flora still attend, before starting at Whangarei Boys' High this year.
He had been staying at Mataraua with his father and brother. His mother and sister were in Scotland visiting friends and family at the time of the accident. They have since returned home.
Yvonne Vujcich, deputy principal at Kaikohe Christian School, said Robbie was a "lovely young man" who was generous, respectful and reliable.
"He had a really good heart. He cared about doing his best and trying his best in whatever he was asked to do. We just loved being able to teach him and have him at our school," she said.
He had gone to Whangarei this year for a wider choice of practical subjects. He was looking at a career in agriculture or horticulture, following in his family's footsteps.
Principal David Rogers said the tragedy had deeply affected the small, close-knit school of just over 150 pupils. Robbie had been a capable student and a "really well-liked boy."
"He was affable, giving, outdoorsy, outgoing ... He threw himself into everything he did," he said, adding that the family were in shock, but the school, the Christian community and the McKenzies' many friends in the Hokianga were offering outreach and support.
Meanwhile government safety officials are investigating the crash. Robbie's death has been referred to the Coroner, and WorkSafe NZ, the workplace health and safety regulator, is also investigating.
The crash is expected to lead to renewed scrutiny of quad bike safety, as well as access to emergency medical help in the Far North. WorkSafe was already urging farmers to take special care on quad bikes after two deaths last week. (The other was on a Wairarapa farm on Tuesday), national programmes manager Francois Barton saying the two tragedies were a reminder to the farming community that quad bikes, while a useful tool, had to be used safely.
"Five people died on quad bikes in 2014 and many were seriously harmed. Using a quad safely comes down to the attitude of the user, their safety practices, making safe choices and using the bike responsibly," he said.
WorkSafe launched a Safer Farms programme in February partly in response to concerns about quad bike safety.
Recent serious quad bike accidents in Northland include the death of a 42-year-old man at Ruawai in October last year after his machine rolled and trapped him in a flooded drain. Earlier that month a 14-year-old girl was seriously injured when a quad bike rolled and pinned her in a swamp near Ahipara, while in August a 31-year-old Whangarei man suffered serious injuries in a recreational quad bike accident in sand dunes at Pouto.
Three Northlanders died in farm quad bike accidents in just eight weeks in 2010, that spate of fatalities sparking a Coroner's investigation aimed at finding ways of preventing future accidents.
WorkSafe's advice for managing quad bike risks:
- Riders must be trained or experienced enough to do the job.
- Choose the right vehicle for the job. Don't carry passengers or tow too much.
- Always wear a helmet.
- Don't let kids ride adult-sized quad bikes.
- Keep bikes in a safe condition.
- Take care on slopes and rough terrain. Don't exceed the bike's capabilities.
- Don't do tasks that interfere with safe riding. Keep both hands on the bike and eyes on the ground in front.