Don’t let a enjoyable trip finish in tragedy this summer season

Since 2011, 234 Australians have died in incidents involving quad bikes and side-by-side automobiles, with males accounting for greater than 80 per cent of fatalities, figures from Safe Work Australia present.

In South Australia, there have been a complete of seven deaths in 2024 and 2025, the primary within the state since 2021. The majority of the deaths prior to now two years have been farmers.

Quad bikes are four-wheel automobiles with a saddle-style seat. Side-by-side automobiles are four-wheeled automobiles that usually have seatbelts, side-by-side seating and a rollover safety cage. All are sometimes known as all-terrain automobiles.

Quad bikes are one of many main causes of harm and loss of life on Australian farms with deaths occurring equally throughout work and leisure actions.

Most incidents happen when quad bikes roll over, throwing riders from the quad bike or trapping them beneath the place they are often crushed or suffocate.

Between 2011 and 2024, 77 per cent of quad bike associated deaths in Australia concerned adults over 50 years of age and 12 per cent concerned youngsters underneath the age of 16.

To minimise dangers, quad bike riders are being urged to:

• Always put on a helmet
• Use a quad bike with rollover safety
• Never let youngsters trip grownup quad bikes, whilst a passenger
• Don’t carry passengers on quad bikes which are meant for one individual
• Avoid using on tough terrain or steep slopes, extreme pace or sudden manoeuvres.
• Don’t override security options.

The Consumer Goods (Quad Bikes) Safety Standard was launched in 2019 to cut back the chance of harm or fatality attributable to quad bikes.

It requires new and imported second hand quad bikes to have minimal stability ranges, embrace rollover safety, and show clear security warnings on the level of sale.

Fifth era farmer Alex McGorman and his spouse Fiona personal a sheep and broadacre cropping property at Thornby, about 80km east of Adelaide.

The farm is dwelling to greater than 30,000 sheep and has about 40 everlasting workers.

Thornby has 5 quad bikes, that are all fitted with rollover safety and are predominantly used to maneuver sheep between feedlots.

Riders obtain coaching, conduct day by day begin up security checks and at all times put on helmets.

To put together safely earlier than each trip you must:

• Tell somebody the place you propose to go and whenever you count on to return
• Wear protecting clothes and equipment. This features a helmet, goggles, lengthy sleeves, lengthy pants, boots and gloves or hand safety
• Never trip inebriated or medicine
• Always carry a cell phone or radio machine so you will get assist in case of an emergency.

Attribute quotes to Thornby proprietor Alex McGorman

Quad bikes allow us to maneuver rapidly and effectively in an out of the feedlots.

Anyone can learn to trip them simply and safely however it’s important to have the right security tools and processes in place.

We have truly had one of many boys roll one over and the rollover safety prevented the bike from falling on prime of him. He walked away unhurt and actually we now have by no means had an harm as the results of a quad bike incident.

If we need to use quad bikes in Australia, the principles are there for everybody’s security, so simply do it.

Attribute quotes to SafeWork SA Director Compliance and Enforcement Brett Pfeffer

As we now have seen in South Australia lately, quad bikes and side-by-side automobiles may be lethal when not used appropriately.

If you’re visiting a farm these holidays and are supplied the prospect to trip a quad bike, please take into account the hazards and trip safely.

This data goals to shine a lightweight on the hazards so riders can take the mandatory precautions to minimise the dangers.

In addition to studying the protection directions for the quad bike you propose to trip, I urge customers to go to the SafeWork SA web site the place we now have complete details about quad bike security.

Further hyperlinks:

ACCC Quad bike safety page (external site)

SafeWork SA Quad bike web page (exterior web site)