Letter to Editor, Tuesday January 19, 2016

Quad rules

At home, on our own property, we have very strict legislation/regulation governing our use with quad bikes. These include:

-Do not allow riders under 16 years of age to ride a quad bike with an engine capacity over 90cc.

-Ensure quad bike riders have the knowledge, skills and training necessary to operate a quad bike safely, or are closely supervised until they are assessed as competent.

-Do not carry passengers on quad bikes designed for one person.

-Wear a helmet at all times the vehicle is being ridden.

A Rai Valley dairy farmer was fined $15,000 for not wearing a helmet while riding a quad bike. A Marlborough farming couple has been fined $40,000 for not wearing helmets while riding their quad bikes. Cara Elizabeth Scott was sentenced for manslaughter after a little boy, 6-year-old Charlie Vercoe, crashed a quad bike and died while in her care.

These are just some of the penalties faced by farmers operating on their own land.

While I hope the child injured in the accident that featured on the front page of Tuesday's Age (January 12) makes a full recovery, I believe there should be some consistency in the application of penalties for quad users. After all, this accident happened on a legal road that is also subject to rules and regulations.

JULIANNE BAINBRIDGE

RD4 Kaitaia