Deaths spark call for reform

NEW laws to make training, licences and helmets for quadbike riders compulsory and to ban young riders on adult quad bikes are among the recommendations of a coronial inquest into a series of fatal crashes.

Coroner Simon Cooper yesterday handed down his findings after a long-running inquest into the deaths of seven quad-bike riders between November 2012 and December 2015.

He made eight recommendations — including that Parliament pass new laws to make training, licensing and helmets compulsory.

“There was no evidence that any of the persons whose death was investigated at the inquest had ever undertaken any formal training in quad-bike use, operation or safety,” the Coroner said in his findings.

“I am satisfied that mandated training whether by licensing or certification is essential.

“Reliance upon voluntary undertaking of training is unlikely to achieve any significant take-up.”

And he said helmet use continued to be strongly resisted by riders — despite the safety benefits being obvious.

“The results of research placed before the inquest makes the case, in my view, for the use of helmets beyond argument,” Mr Cooper said.

Among his mendations: A BAN on young people operating adult quad bikes. A COMPLETE ban on children under six riding quad bikes. RESTRICTIONS on carrying passengers on some bikes. A STATE Government task force on quad-bike safety. A STAR- rating system assist in reducing deaths.

Mr Cooper said there had been 20 deaths in quad-bike accidents in Tasmania since the year 2000 and about 200 deaths nationally in about the same period — a high proportion of them on farms.

He also recommended Tasmania Police liaise with colleagues interstate to improve rider safety but rejected suggestions for the compulsory fitting of roll-over protection to quad bikes.

A State Government spokesman said the findings would be examined carefully.

“The Government and the task force will closely consider the coroner’s recommendations and continue work to develop a quad-bike safety plan,” he said. other recom- to