Federated Farmers questions 5-year-old's motorbike death

5-year-old Sarah MacDonald lost control of the motorbike on a rural property in Tapawera. Photo / Thinkstock

Federated Farmers has questioned what a 5-year-old girl was doing in charge of a motorbike after she struck a farm fence and was killed at the weekend.

Sarah Melissa Joanne MacDonald lost control of the small 50cc two-wheeled motorbike and hit the fence on a rural property in Tapawera, about 60km southwest of Nelson on Sunday.

She was riding under the supervision of her family at the time.

Federated Farmers agricultural health and safety spokesman David Rose said he did not know the full details of what was "an absolute tragedy for that family", but was surprised at the rider's age.

"You wouldn't expect anyone as young as that to be riding around on a farm.

"Everybody has got a different view on this stuff, but someone as young as that would barely be old enough to ride a pushbike, let alone driving a motorbike. It comes down to common sense and training.

"You've certainly got to be strong enough and old enough to understand about hazards."

Sergeant Blair Hall, who is investigating the death for the police, said Sarah had been riding around on the motorbike for most of Sunday afternoon "quite capably".

It could be argued that around New Zealand "hundreds of kids were doing exactly the same thing on the same type of motorbike".

"It's rural kids doing what rural kids do."

Police would be looking into Sarah's level of capability for her age, and how experienced she was, as part of their investigation into her death for the coroner.

Mr Hall did not rule out charges "but it's not going that way at the moment".

Most transport laws relate to public roads.

But New Zealand Transport Agency spokesman Andy Knackstedt said there were offences under the Land Transport Act which may, in some circumstances, be applied to incidents occurring off-road.

Kelvin Woodley, principal of the local Tapawera Area School which Sarah attended, visited the family.

"It's a community that there's hardly anybody who won't be affected by [her death]."

Last week, a motorcyclist participating in a charity event for the Wellington Free Ambulance died when he hit a median barrier.

On the same day another motorcyclist was flown to hospital in a serious condition after he came off his bike while out riding with a friend.

The 62-year-old Motueka man was riding a bike behind his friend on State Highway 6 near St Arnaud, about 90km southwest of Nelson, when he came off his bike.

And on April 17, a 10-year-old boy was seriously injured and needed surgery on his spine after an accident during a children's motorbike event near Carterton.