$40,000 fine for no quad bike helmets

The A Marlborough farming couple has been fined $40,000 for not wearing helmets while riding their quad bikes.

 

The purpose of this article is to inform us about the consequences of not wearing motorbike helmets whilst operating a quad bike and the potential fines you could receive, so we know not to make the same mistake.

 

WorkSafe New Zealand inspector’s say wearing helmets while riding a quad bike is very important in preventing injuries which is why the fine is so high.

The WorkSafe New Zealand’s point of view is the higher the fine the less likely someone will be to break it therefore minimising the risk of injuries to New Zealand farming couples.

The words and the structure of the article influence readers to continue reading; He also gives both points of view on the article without sounding one sided so you can hear the full story for what it is.

("It's not rocket science, people should wear helmets to minimise the risk ... the message needs to go out to employers in the work place that they need to take basically all reasonable steps to prevent injury and potentially death.")

("I'm sure every farmer in New Zealand would identify themselves as a safe driver ... but still 35 farmers come off their quad bikes every day,")

(“A Marlborough couple fined $40,000 for riding quad bikes without helmets on a dairy farm say the penalty is ridiculous and out of proportion.”)

(“Helmets won’t stop the quad bike from rolling on us and crushing us to death.”)

My personal opinion on this idea and people’s reactions is I don’t think the fine should be so much for example you would only get fined up to $150 dollars for not wearing a seatbelt and only up to $50 for not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle.

The farming couples reason for not wearing a helmet whilst operating a quad bike was because it was a bit of a hassle and it was not necessary to wear helmets because they had identified areas of danger on the farm.

 

This is true to a certain extent but every farmer in New Zealand would identify themselves as a safe driver, but still 35 farmers come off their quad bikes every day.

The Author manipulates the readers by using people’s quotes inside the article, however the author did not convince me whether the fine is a good or bad thing because he hasn’t really taken a side he has just stated the facts.

(“Ever wonder why criminal fines are so low in comparison to laws that target people with money (ie workers). Its less about safety and more about revenue for government.”)

(“How absolutely and utterly pathetic and over the top. Sounds like the H&S department had it in for them. Perhaps they did deserve a fine or something but 40 grand!! Unbelievable.”)

My personal opinion on this idea is that allot of people seem to be complaining about the price of the fine but this didn’t stop them from breaking it in the first place.