ATV rollovers: Vehicles are “inherently” unstable, says ACCC

The ACCC have dismissed calls for a mandatory licence for quad bikes, saying the vehicles themselves are “inherently” unstable.

Long list: RACQ Helicopter Rescue Service attends a quad bike accident.

THE inherent instability of quad bikes has more to do with the deaths of at least eight Australians so far this year, than rider experience and training, says Australia’s consumer watchdog.

And it’s the key reason the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Federal Government have drafted laws making roll bars (operator protection devices) mandatory on all quad bikes from October next year.

“The truth of the matter is, the inherent instability of quad bikes causes them to frequently roll

over,” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission deputy chair Mick Keogh.

“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.

“For many years, manufacturers have been claiming rider behaviour is the major reason for

the number of deaths and injuries. Their aim has been to shift the focus away from the

unsafe design of quad bikes.”

Mr Keogh said the design limitations of quad bikes mean many people – including experienced, mature operators – are getting seriously injured or killed, despite operating them in line with the vehicles’ marketed uses.

He cited research from the University of New South Wales that indicated that almost half of quad bike accidents involved riders who had 20 or more years of experience operating them, while less than two per cent of accidents involved an operator with less than three years’ experience.

FAST FACTS

There have been 14 people reported quad bike deaths to date in 2020.

• 3 have been children aged between 10-12
• 8 of the incidents resulted in the quad bike rolling over
• In 4 of the incidents, the victim was crushed or pinned by the quad bike
• 50 per cent (7) of fatalities have been located in Queensland. Two were in NSW, two in Victoria, one in Western Australia, one in Tasmania, and one in the Northern Territory

Since 2011, sadly, 150 people have died from quad bike accidents. 23 of those were

children.

QUAD bike deaths occur during both work and recreational activities

NEARLY two thirds of quad bike related deaths are caused by a rollover, and

three quarters of deaths occur on a farm

SEVENTY per cent of those killed since 2011 have been older than 30 years of

age

Mr Keogh’s comments follow a decision by Queensland’s peak farmer lobby AgForce to joined major quad bike manufacturers and most of Australia’s 380 motorcycle dealers in a campaign to dump the new federal laws on mandatory OPDs.

“AgForce is opposed to mandatory OPDs on quad bikes and recommends that they be considered by each individual as part of a suite of safety measures that includes training and education,” AgForce chief executive Michael Guerin said.

“AgForce believes mandatory training and licences for quad bike riders would have a far greater benefit than mandatory OPDs, which in some contexts can actually reduce safety.

“Any training and licence scheme should recognise prior learning to ensure experienced riders can undertake a simple test to prove competency.”

AgForce policies align with those promoted by Save the Quad Bike in Australia founder and Dalby motorcycle dealer Craig Hartley, who said the scheme could be modelled on the existing Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme, with online booking to get a permit, followed by certification training.

“We’re all for a licensing system, especially for workers, where you could book on line to get your learners,” Mr Hartley said.

AgForce’s position sits at odds with the National Farmers Federation’s policy of supporting mandatory roll bars.

But an alliance of farm safety and rural community groups has hit back, arguing AgForce’s push was fraught with danger for farmers.

The alliance of Farmsafe Australia, the Country Women’s Association of Australia, Rural Doctors Association of Australia, the National Rural Health Alliance, and the Royal Flying Doctors Service issued a joint statement this week warning AgForce’s policy would “shift the compliance burden off manufacturers, and on to farmers – without any guarantee of preventing fatalities.

“The idea of national licencing raises several red flags,” the alliance stated. “How would this be implemented and enforced? And where is the evidence it would be effective?

“With changes to industrial manslaughter laws looming large, it’s a fraught idea to say the least.”

The Alliance argued the evidence could not be clearer: “OPDs save lives”, given half of the 14 lives lost in 2020 were the result of rollovers.

Quad bike manufacturers Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki have already announced they will be withdrawing from the Australian market, rather than fitting OPDs, driving dealers to campaign against the new laws in a bid to save their livelihoods.