Quad bikes are the leading cause of death and serious injury on Australian farms. School holidays and good weather often mean farm visits and quad bike adventures. Consumer Protection urges families to prioritise safety when it comes to quad biking.
Sixty per cent of quad bike fatalities occur during a roll over. Even at slower speeds, these bikes can topple over and crush the rider with hundreds of kilos of machine.
Despite being marketed as “all-terrain vehicles”, quad bikes cannot safely go anywhere and everywhere. Steep slopes or rough terrain increases the risk of a roll over.
Since October 2021, general-use quad bikes must have an Operator Protection Device (OPD) fitted or integrated into its design so if the bike rolls over, it’s held off the ground, and the rider can avoid injury or death as a result of being crushed or pinned by the weight. If you own an older quad bike, consider retrofitting an OPD.
Since 2020, 10 West Aussies have been killed in quad bike accidents. Of the three deaths last year, one was a girl aged under 10.
But quad bikes are not children’s toys. The safest option is for children not to ride quads, even as passengers, as they lack the size, and physical strength or skill to safely operate quad bikes built for adults. Even the smaller youth quads have been involved in fatal incidents in Australia.
Consumer Protection urges quad bike riders and passengers to “Prepare Safe, Wear Safe, Ride Safe.”
Prepare Safe by ensuring you are trained to ride a quad bike, check the quad has been maintained and is in safe condition. It’s also a good idea to tell someone where you plan to go and when you expect to return. When you purchase a new quad bike, use the mandatory hang tag to compare the stability of different models.
Wear Safe with a helmet that meets Australian Safety Standards. Put on protective clothing and gear such as goggles, long sleeves and pants, boots and gloves.
Ride Safe by ensuring children are supervised near quad bike activity and never let them ride quads meant for adults… even as passengers. Never ride under the influence of drugs/alcohol and don’t carry passengers on quads meant for one person. Try to ride on familiar tracks and always carry a mobile phone or two-way so you can call for help in an emergency.
If you Prepare Safe, Wear Safe, Ride Safe when using quad bikes, it will help you and your loved ones, friends and work colleagues reduce the risk of injury or death.
