A NEW campaign is warning of the increased risks of quad bike use for older farmers and children.
The campaign, launched by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), warns older male farmers remain the group most at risk of fatal injuries or crashes, with children also at risk.
Since 2011, 234 Australians have died in quad bike incidents, with men accounting for more than 80 per cent of fatalities, figures from SafeWork Australia show.
Quad bikes are also often referred to as All Terrain Vehicles or ATVs.
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"Quad bikes pose a serious risk of injury and death because it is easy for them roll over, even at low speeds. When they rollover, riders are often trapped underneath them. These heavy vehicles cause suffocation, head injuries and crush body parts," ACCC deputy chair, Mick Keogh, said.
"Most quad bike deaths occur on farms, and men aged over 70 years are statistically the most at-risk age group. More than 20 per cent of fatalities have been males over the age of 70."
Children under 14 make up more than one in 10 deaths, while children under 16 make up more than a quarter of all emergency department presentations relating to quad bike injuries. The ACCC's new safety awareness campaign is warning farmers, partners, parents and carers of the dangers of quad bikes.
The campaign includes advertisements with the key messages of ‘One ride can change everything' and for partners, parents and carers, to ‘Protect your loved ones'. The ads will be aired online via news sites throughout regional Australia, as well as social media platforms, Spotify and on various podcasts.
"We want to remind all quad bike users, including parents of children who may be spending time on a farm this summer holiday period, that quad bikes are not toys, they are powerful machines," Keogh said.
"There are three golden rules to follow when riding quad bikes – helmet on, rollover protection fitted and never let children ride adult quad bikes. Use these safety tips to protect your loved ones and family members."
New South Wales and Queensland have the highest number of quad bike-related injuries and fatalities.
Rollovers and collisions are the most likely cause of death from quad bikes across all states, SafeWork Australia figures show.
The Consumer Goods (Quad Bikes) Safety Standard was introduced to reduce the risk of injury or fatality caused by quad bikes.
The standard requires new and imported second-hand quad bikes to have minimum stability levels, include rollover protection, and display clear safety warnings at the point of sale.
"The Safety Standard has resulted in many safer quad bikes being used, but there is likely to still be hundreds of thousands of older bikes without rollover protection in use," Keogh said.
"We urge anyone with an older quad bike to invest in rollover protection. The cost is minimal compared to the cost of serious injury or a fatality. The transition to safer quad bike use will take time and continued awareness."
More details on the campaign can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/475622nz
