November 15, 2017
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is seeking public feedback on an issues paper examining quad bike safety released on Monday.
“Tragically, 114 people have been killed in Australia in quad bike accidents since 2011. The ACCC is investigating a range of possible options to improve quad bike safety and prevent further deaths and injuries in the community,” ACCC Commissioner Mick Keogh said.
“A key question is whether a safety standard should be introduced for quad bikes under the Australian Consumer Law.”
Since 2011, 9 per cent of deaths were children aged under 11. So far in 2017, there have been 10 quad bike deaths, including a six-year-old girl and a seven-year- old boy.
The ACCC Quad Bike Safety Taskforce is seeking feedback from stakeholders including manufacturers, dealers, workplace safety experts, researchers, farmers and quad bike users on a range of issues and options, including:
- Mandating specific design requirements and construction of quad bikes, including features that reduce the risk for children riding quad bikes designed for adults
- Introducing a safety rating system and the testing of quad bike models before they are sold in Australia
- Mandating safety warning information consumers would receive when buying a new quad bike.
“The ACCC recognises that quad bikes are important vehicles for many Australians who rely on them for work on farms, or use them recreationally, which is why it is important for stakeholders to have their say,” Mr Keogh said.
The ACCC will be making a Draft Recommendation to government early next year, with a Final Recommendation to be made mid-2018.
The Issues Paper and information on the consultation process is on the ACCC website
There are about 380,000 quad bikes in operation in Australia and about another 20,000 are sold each year.
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