THE state government has warned quad bike users to remember just how dangerous the machines can be, with more than 300 Queenslanders treated for quad bike injuries annually.
Quad bike safety advocate Jodie Cocco said everyone had to respect just how dangerous these vehicles could be.
“Sadly, more than 70 people have been killed on quad bikes in Queensland alone since 2001, and that’s around 30 per cent of all quad bike-related deaths in Australia”, Ms Cocco said.
“Queensland has the highest number of quad bike-related hospitalisations with around 1500 over a five year period.
“A few years back my son Domenic was one of those hospitalisations and we were lucky not to lose him after a quad accident.
“There were also approximately 3000 quad bike-related emergency department presentations and more than 1000 ambulance attendances.
“So whether these machines are used by kids, farmers, recreational riders, or adventure tourists, it’s all about riding them safely.”
The good news though is recent research commissioned by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland shows there’s been an improvement in attitudes and behaviours when it comes to quad bike safety.
“From February 2016 to August 2018 research shows quad bike users are more likely to wear a helmet and less likely to let others get away with not wearing one,” said Ms Cocco.
“They’re less likely than a couple of years ago to carry passengers on quads designed for a single rider, or attach heavy equipment to their quad.
“These are encouraging signs that ongoing safety awareness campaigns are working and important messages are getting through.
“However, we have to do more to cut quad bike deaths and serious injuries across the state, and ultimately, across Australia.
“And that means some very deep-seated attitudes need to change.
“It scares me that the majority of quad bike users are confident they are riding safely and consider themselves ‘ride-ready’.
“Clearly the injury and fatality stats show that’s not really the case.
“Sadly, overconfidence presents a significant risk – people falsely believing that nothing bad will happen to them because they have been riding responsibly for years and their bike and equipment are safe.
“If this was in fact the case, there’d be far fewer incidents and my family wouldn’t have gone through what we’ve had to face.
“All we ask is for everyone to remember the basic safety tips before venturing out this holiday period - always wear a helmet, never let kids ride adult-sized quad bikes, and get some training before hopping on a quad bike.”
You can find out more about quad safety and test your knowledge in an online challenge at qld.gov.au/rideready.
