State Government launches probe into risks around quad bikes

THE Tasmanian public has been invited to have its say on the risks posed by quad bikes as the State Government prepares a statewide safety plan governing the use of the vehicles.

An ATV with a protective quad bar fitted to the back.

THE Tasmanian public has been invited to have its say on the risks posed by quad bikes as the State Government prepares a statewide safety plan governing the use of the vehicles.

In a recent discussion paper released by a Department of Justice taskforce, quad bikes were identified as both a highly useful vehicle in workplaces and an increasingly popular recreational option, but also the leading cause of death on Australian farms over the past five years.

Holly Raper was awarded nearly $12 million after she fell from a defective quad bike on a King Island farm in 2011.

Tasmania was one of three Australian states to recently hold a coronial inquest into quad-bike deaths, with Coroner Simon Cooper late last year concluding a probe into seven fatalities that occurred in Tasmania.

Speed, alcohol, overloading and the lack of helmets were among the factors considered by the inquest, which examined seven deaths between November 10, 2012 and December 27, 2015.

The coroner has adjourned the inquest to a date to be fixed.

And last July, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Estcourt awarded British woman Holly Raper a record $11.9 million after the gap-year student fell from a defective quad bike on a King Island farm in 2011.

The landmark trial heard that the massive brain injury Ms Raper suffered left her unable to communicate, move or feed herself, and requires a permanent staff of 12 people to care for her.

The taskforce has identified four key areas in which safety might be improved: improving the skills of riders; increasing public awareness regarding the vehicles’ risks; focusing on rider protection; and potential government-initiated actions.

Possible safety messages raised in the discussion paper include restricting quad bikes to a single rider, riders carrying an electronic beacon in case of accident, the installation of rollover protection on vehicles, appropriate rider training and the use of helmets.

Five of the seven Tasmanian deaths involved riders who were not wearing head protection.

An ATV instructor demonstrates that incorrect body position can make a quad bike roll over.

The discussion paper also raises the prospect of the development of an Australian standard for quad bikes — which currently does not exist — and a consumer rating system.

Interested parties can review the paper and provide feedback through the community consultation section at justice.tas.gov.au