July 19, 2012

The National Farmers’ Federation has is called for a greater emphasis on quad bike safety to address the ever-increasing number of fatalities on Australian farms.

NFF President Jock Laurie said the time had come for real action on quad bike safety, including roll-over protection or crush protection devices.

“Quad bikes are an important piece of farm machinery but they can be dangerous,” Mr Laurie said.

“They are the leading cause of on-farm vehicle-related deaths in Australia, and the main cause of fatal injuries in children aged 5-14 on farms.

“Sadly, too many lives are lost in preventable farm accidents. Just last week we saw another young life tragically cut short due to an on-farm quad bike accident, bringing the total number of people killed by quad bikes to 10 this year alone.

“The safety of our farming families and farm workers is of upmost concern which is why the NFF and our members are now calling for a focus on practical solutions to help address quad safety concerns.

“In the past, we had hoped the number of quad bike accidents could be greatly reduced by farmers adhering to some simple rules, like not overloading quads, ensuring they’re used for the intended purposes only, and not allowing children under 16 to operate them – combined with relevant training, safe work practices and wearing suitable protective clothing, including helmets.

“While these are all very important measures for farmers to take on board, the continued number of quad bike accidents and fatalities show that greater action is needed.

“ThegGovernment has recognised this need; just last week it convened a meeting of government, industry, unions, community groups and farming organisations, including the NFF, to improve quad bike safety.

“Minister (Bill) Shorten announced on Friday a new initiative, QuadWatch, to help provide information and strengthen community networks around quad bike safety issues.

“The NFF supports this initiative, but we also believe more needs to be done to ensure the safety of our farming families and farm workers, which is why we’re calling for a focus on solutions like roll-over protection or crush protection devices.

“Research is in the pipeline on crush protection devices – and if this research shows that they decrease fatalities and injuries, then we will very strongly support them.”