Kids urged to be Ride Ready on quad bikes over busy holiday period

Queenslanders have been reminded to keep their kids safe on quad bikes as the school holidays and weeks of free time approach.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the Queensland Government wanted parents to think about safety beforetheir kids jumped onto a quad bike.

“One in five deaths on quad bikes are children,” Ms Grace said

“Some just didn’t have the right training, some were on adult bikes which they had no chance of controlling, and frustratingly, half were not even wearing a helmet.

“That is why we have restarted the Ride ready quad bike safety advertising campaign this week, with a free app to download and helmet prizes on offer.”

Helping spread the message are Safety Advocates, Mario and Jodie Cocco.

The Coccos joined the safety advocate program after their 7-year-old son, Domenic, crashed a quad bike into a power pole which left him with life threatening injuries.

Watch the Ride ready adverts or listen to Mario and Jodie speak about quad bike safety at www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/rideready.

Ms Grace said quad bike-related injury and fatality statistics traditionally peaked during school holidays.

“Kids have time for lots of outside activities over the break, and riding quad bikes is right up there.

“Quad bikes are a useful tool on farms—and great fun when you have time on your hands—but it’s an absolute tragedy when a few basic safety rules are overlooked and the unthinkable happens.

“This campaign urges people to take a few basic safety precautions such as wearing helmets and keeping kids on appropriate sized bikes.

“These simple steps could avoid this holiday being one to remember for all the wrong reasons.”

Ms Grace said the Ride ready campaign was developed in response to a growing number of quad bike related deaths in Queensland.

“Over the past 15 years, more than 70 people have been killed in quad bike incidents in Queensland—nearly one third of all quad bike-related fatalities in Australia.

“And tragically about 20 per cent of Australia’s fatalities were children under the age of 16.

“Quad bikes are also estimated to be responsible for six emergency department presentations a day, with two of those being hospitalised for serious injuries.

/Public Release. View in full here.