What Happened?
There has been a run of incidents recently where quad bikes towing calf feeder trailers have been involved in rollovers. Every year there is a spike in these kinds of incidents on dairy farms as calves are put out into paddocks. While many of these have been "near misses" where the driver has come away uninjured, some have sustained injuries. Any rollover has the potential to be serious or even fatal.
Why did it happen?
These are some common causes:
- The bike being used is not rated to tow the loaded weight of calf feeder trailer.
- Sudden change in direction by the driver.
- Uneven or slippery ground.
- Steep grade or an inexperienced driver.
- Driver inattention or distraction.
- How should we respond?
- Feed calves where they can be accessed safely.
- Reconsider the access if necessary so you can drive in and drive out safely.
- Consider towing feeder trailer with a larger vehicle such as a farm ute.
- Baffles in tanks reduce sloshing which can cause instability.
- If you must use a quad:
- Know the loaded weight of your feeder trailer and never exceed the quad bike manufacturer's towing capacity (1000 litres of milk is 1000kg plus the weight of the trailer).
- Reduce the load if conditions change, are uneven, slippery or steep terrain.
- Ensure drivers are adequately trained for the task and know when to stop if conditions are unsafe.
- Ensure drivers have a reliable way to call for help.
- Consider a crush protection device or rollover protection for your quad bike.
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