Deaths drive safety laws

AS THE federal government gears up to introduce new quad bike safety laws, statistics show half of the deaths related to the machines in Australia this year occurred in Queensland.

An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report revealed that in the first six months of the year, 14 people have died from quad bikerelated incidents nationally, including three children.

Two of those people, including Taylah Pearson ( inset), were from northern Queensland.

The new quad bike safety legislation is expected to be introduced in October.

ACCC deputy chairman Mick Keogh said while quad bikes were an important part of rural life, the ongoing deaths and severe injuries were concerning. And he was scathing about some of the misinformation circulating regarding the legislative changes.

“Top of the list is the suggestion that because some quad bike manufacturers have threatened to stop selling in Australia due to the new safety requirements, farmers will lose a critical piece of farm machinery,” he said.

“If a manufacturer withdraws from Australia, others will willingly step in to provide the safer quad bikes.

“We’ve also heard nonsense claims that improved quad bike stability and rollover protection devices, as required under the safety standard, will increase fatalities as riders will have a false sense of security.”

In May, Ms Pearson, 22, died when the quad bike she was a passenger on crashed near Ayr.

Just days later a Woopen Creek woman, 76, died in Townsville University Hospital after a quad bike crash.

Federal Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said the statistics were “horrifying”.

“These statistics wrenching,” he said.

“I’ve spoken to family members that have lost loved ones in quad bike crashes. I will do everything I can to make sure people are safe.”

Mr Keogh said it was important to highlight the government’s new safety standard because of the deaths and injuries linked to quad bikes.

“For many years, manufacturers have been claiming rider behaviour is the major reason for the number of deaths and injuries,” he said.

“Their aim has been to shift the focus away from the unsafe design of quad bikes.

“The inherent instability of quad bikes causes them to frequently roll over.

“It has been reported that at least eight of the fatalities so far this year involved rollovers, with four of them resulting in crush injuries.” are gut