A device which will likely save some farmers’ lives has won “Best New Safety Product or Innovation” award at Agfest.

The prize at Australia’s chief agricultural trade show is designed to reward those inventions which provide practical solutions, for what it still one of the most dangerous professions.

This year it was awarded to the Lifeguard ATV rollover protection, a quad bike safety device from New Zealand.

The Lifeguard ATV anti-roll system consists of a simples, flexible, segmented arc , which can absorb the impact of a quad bike roll over and protect the driver from often-fatal accidents.

The innovative bar has swept safety awards at a number of shows on both sides of the Tasman.

“This is the world's first flexible crush protection device for quad bikes and ATVs,” Lifeguard ATV’s Matthew Tiplady has told the ABC.

“It's designed so that when the bike turns over the device will actually flex and it will not crush the person by the weight and the bar itself.

“It's completely flexible, with two cables going through, it's like your spine, it will flex with the turning over of the bike.”

The safety award judges said the design was prized for its strength and ease, as it can hold up a quad bike over 350kg, but can be simply mounted to most brands of quad bikes. 

A second prize - Best Safety Display: Safety Feature / Focus - was awarded to Boat Safe and their ‘Marine Pod’; a buoyant container for storing survival equipment.