Too Little - Too Late !

Quad bikes are the popular, all terrain vehicles that are proving to be an essential transport means on Australia's farms.  They are far cheaper than a conventional truck or tractor and have a big advantage over a motorbike in that they have the capacity to carry tools and repair materials to where they are needed.

The Federal government  is imposing a new law standard on Quad bikes imported into Australia, but it will not come into force for a two year gap period - and it will not apply to Quad bikes already here. Already some overseas manufacturers have signalled that they will quit the Australian market rather than reschedule their product to conform.

The problem is that these are heavy machines and in a rollover they have a tendency to crush the rider.  This piece of legislation simply requires that they be fitted with a rollover cage to stop that happening.   The statistics show that accidents with Quad bikes are the major cause of death and injury on farms and that two thirds of injuries suffered were caused by vehicle rollovers.  It is also pertinent that research shows that over fifty percent of those fatalities would not have happened had the bike been fitted with a roll cage.

Getting that legislation onto the law books has been the result of a long campaign by the very people who have insight into the problem.   That includes the National Farmers Federation, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and the Country Women's Association, and it also has the support of the  both the Australian Medical Association and the Royal College of Surgeons.

It is the people who see and need to respond to these accidents that are calling for action.  Quad bikes are used on steep inclines and the provision of a roll bar will give the rider a chance to survive when the weight of the machine would otherwise cause crushing injuries and where the presence of water may deliver a drowning risk. Its addition would be a low cost safety measure.

The other issue that has been ignored is the age limit that should apply to riders.  Quad bikes are amazingly attractive to children and teens tend to want to race them like motorbikes.  Often indulgent parents or grandparents turn them loose on farms - with tragic results.

Quad bikes can not be registered or driven on government or council roads, but farms are private property and age limits would be difficult to enforce.  Perhaps the only way to enforce an age restriction is in the area of legal responsibility.  Should a rider be killed or injured in an accident with a Quad bike that lacked a safety rollbar both the owner of the Quad bike and the owner of the property on which the accident happened should share legal liability.

Giving a two year time extension and not tackling the age problem will ensure that Quad bikes continue to cause dismal farm accident statistics.  The parliament should hang its head in shame  !