{"id":168630,"date":"2017-01-31T16:19:42","date_gmt":"2017-01-31T06:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=168630"},"modified":"2020-09-23T22:44:41","modified_gmt":"2020-09-23T12:44:41","slug":"relax-your-ute-is-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/01\/31\/relax-your-ute-is-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"Relax … Your Ute Is Safe"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A “Utility Off-Road Vehicle” covered by the legislation … not a 4WD ute (Photo: Qld Government)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

January 31, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Anne Miller<\/strong><\/p>\n

Monday’s alert by Workplace Health and Safety about a change in quad bike regulations from February 1 has caused some concern in the South Burnett community.<\/p>\n

To clear up any confusion, southburnett.com.au<\/strong>\u00a0has sought further information about the new quad bike or ATV regulations.<\/p>\n

The laws which come into force on Wednesday ONLY apply to conditionally registered vehicles driven on the road or road-related areas such as verges or median strips.<\/p>\n

They would apply if, for example, a farmer on a quad bike was leading cattle across a road, or herding cattle down a road.<\/p>\n

The WH&S statement also referred to a ban on children under the age of eight being “passengers in utility off-road vehicles being used on a road”.<\/p>\n

This sent alarm bells ringing, with many readers fearing they were no longer permitted to carry their younger children in their 4WD utes on the road.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is NOT the case.<\/p>\n

The State Government’s terminology of “Utility Off-Road Vehicle” refers to what many people call a “side-by-side” or UTV (see images, above) ,which the government divides into categories of “agricultural”, “construction \/ maintenance ” or “maintenance \/ recreational” use.<\/p>\n

So … from February 1, children under the age of eight are prohibited from being carried as passengers on quad bikes and utility off-road vehicles, as well as any child of any age if they are unable to sit with their feet flat on the floor and hands on handholds.<\/p>\n

As well, from February 1, the requirement for the operator of a quad bike or utility off-road vehicle and their passengers to wear a motorcycle helmet will be legislated in the\u00a0Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 2009. Failing to comply with the mandatory helmet requirements will result in a fine of $365 and the loss of three demerit points.<\/p>\n

Exemptions from wearing an approved motorcycle helmet still apply for the driver and passengers of utility off-road vehicles (not quad bikes) being operated under a location restriction, provided the vehicle has factory-fitted seatbelts and a rollover protection system.<\/p>\n