Surgeons call for youth quad bike ban

WELLINGTON: Surgeons want the Government to ban quad bike use by anyone under 16, but Prime Minister Bill English says it is already doing enough.

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, which represents doctors in Australia and New Zealand, says the governments of both countries need to stop the use of quad bikes by children because of ‘‘unacceptable’’ injury statistics.

Just two days ago in Australia a 6yearold was killed and a 13yearold old injured when their quad bike struck a tree.

‘‘According to [the] Accident Compensation Corporation figures, every year more than 100 children hurt themselves on offroad vehicles in New Zealand,’’ RACS New Zealand trauma committee chairman Li Hsee said.

‘‘Of these, around onefifth will be hospitalised and, tragically, between three and six will die.’’

Surgeons were seeing ‘‘horrific’’ injuries caused by quads and even youths using childsized versions of the bikes were still twice as likely to be injured than an adult on a fullsized machine.

‘‘Quad bikes, even when operated by an adult, leave very little room for rider error,’’ he said.

Mr English said the farming and recreational use communities now had a better understanding of the danger posed by quad bikes and were taking action.

‘‘As I get around I see people, particularly in the farming community, wearing helmets in a way they didn’t before,’’ he said.

Safekids, the ACC, Federated Farmers, WorkSafe NZ and quad bike manufacturers all strongly advise against the use of quad bikes by those under 16, and Mr English backed those warnings.

Last year, a study of admissions to Starship Children’s Hospital published in the New Zealand Medical Journal also supported a call for a ban on under16s using quads. — NZN