Two years ago, he was working on a hilly area of his 1835ha sheep and beef farm at Kuriwao, near Clinton, when he was badly injured in an accident.
His lower back was broken in four places - two breaks in the pelvis and two at the base of his spine - when his quad bike lost traction on a hill and rolled on top of him, even though he leapt from the bike.
Fortunately, the accident occurred within cellphone range and he was able to call his wife for help. A short time later, the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter dropped in and flew him to Dunedin Hospital.
Mr Wilson said he was fortunate to make a full recovery from the accident.
When asked by the Otago Daily Times for his take on the roll cage debate, he said he did not think there was a quick solution to the issue.
"From my experience, I am 100% against a roll frame on a four-wheeler."
He believed roll cages could help prevent injury in some types of accidents, but could also cause more harm in others.
Mr Wilson said if a quad bike with a roll cage rolled on its side, then it would be OK, but if it rolled "end over end" several times, then he believed it would cause more damage, and the rider would be "pummelled, a bit like beating an orange".
If roll cages were made compulsory for four-wheeled farm bikes, he said he would not have a four-wheeler.
"I believe that if my quad bike had a roll cage when I had my accident, then I would not be here today."
During lambing and calving, he can spend up to six hours a day on his quad bike, riding about 100km each day.
Mr Wilson said it would be good to see simulations of different types of rolling accidents using quad bikes with and without roll cages to see which was the safest in farming terrains.
He also said quad bike training could be useful for those not experienced in using the vehicles.
"You do learn over the years how to drive on hills and you learn the boundaries."
