Quad bike manufacturers have adopted the tactics of the tobacco industry to avoid regulations, a University of Sydney academic will tell next week's Safety 2012 World Conference in Wellington.
But Otago Federated Farmers vice-president Mike Lord says some Kiwi farmers are not using the bikes as they were designed, and must take responsibility for safety.
And two industry figures contacted yesterday strongly disputed Associate Prof Tony Lower's claims.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times from Sydney, Prof Lower said the industry, through funding external research, had convinced regulators not to introduce mandatory roll-over protection.
Industry-commissioned research has demonstrated an increased risk from adding roll-over protection.
Prof Lower contends roll-over protection makes the vehicles safer in the event of an accident.
If possible, farmers should avoid using quad bikes, but if necessary fit crush protection, he recommended.
"This is a massive business and the manufacturers will do everything they possibly can to make sure there's no [legal] precedent set in Australia or New Zealand."
This was due to the industry's vested interest in avoiding legal action, particularly in the United States.
Quad bike manufacturers operated as an effective lobby to deny the advantages of roll-over protection through jointly funding research which Prof Lower disputes.
Another tactic was calling for more research, ensuring ongoing confusion around safety, he said.
"[The manufacturers] all speak with one voice, and basically try and hold the line ... they've obviously taken some good lessons from tobacco in that regard."
In general, regulators did not have the funding to carry out independent research. He looked forward to the findings of research recently commissioned by the government of New South Wales.
There were 23 quad deaths in Australia in 2011 and an average of 13 a year over the past decade.
Many more people sustained serious, debilitating injuries, he said.
Last year in New Zealand, four people died, and 28 had died since 2006.
Mr Lord said when contacted quad bikes were a great farm vehicle. He had seen some examples of poor use, such as towing large loads and carrying too many people.
New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says it is neutral on the issue of roll-over protection because of conflicting evidence about its effectiveness.
Auckland-based independent importer Blue Wing Honda's general manager Matthew Rea said the industry's research was independently sourced and reputable.
Honda was a respected, safety-conscious and innovative company, which had no interest in making a "quick buck".
Its thinking was "multi-generational", and there was no reason not to institute any safety means possible.
Calling the comparison with the tobacco industry "ridiculous", he said if roll-over protection worked, the quad bike industry would have no hesitation recommending it.
The issue was much more "political" in Australia than in New Zealand, where a pragmatic, practical approach, including an education programme, seemed to be working.
Yamaha Motor New Zealand marketing and operations manager Peter Payne echoed Mr Rea's sentiments, saying if it worked, the quad bike industry would promote roll-over protection.
Next week's four-day safety conference, partly sponsored by the World Health Organisation, involves more than 600 experts in injury prevention.
