Quad bike deaths dropping, but experts say more action required

NEW research shows there has been a small reduction in national quad bike deaths at work – including in South Australian agricultural communities – since new safety standards were introduced five years ago, but public health experts say more needs to be done to keep Australians safe on farms.

The research, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, analysed quad bike-related deaths between 2001 and 2024 to provide a preliminary assessment of the impact of new safety standards introduced in 2020 and 2021. The Australian Consumer Goods (Quad Bike) Standard 2019, required all vehicles to meet a stability standard to reduce roll-overs, the fitting of an Operation Protector Device to reduce crush and asphyxiation injuries, and tags and labels featuring safety warnings.

The authors analysed 161 work-related quad bike deaths over 24 years (an average of 7 per year), 95 per cent of which occurred on farms, and 65 per cent involved roll-overs. Crush and asphyxiation injuries accounted for over 50 per cent of cases, with 25 per cent being head injuries. Overall, 74 per cent of workplace quad bike deaths were in Australians over 50.

The preliminary data shows that across the country the rolling four-year totals of work-related quad bike deaths peaked in 2016-17, but dropped in 2024 after new safety measures were introduced.

Lead author, Honorary Associate Professor Tony Lower, said while the national drop in work-related quad bike deaths “isn’t statistically significant, the initial findings are encouraging”.

“While only preliminary, this research is positive news. It supports the early impacts of the Standard in improving stability and the benefits associated with fitting Operator Protector Devices. We will continue to monitor the data to provide robust assessment of the Standard,” Prof. Lower said.

Prof. Lower said the study also provides insights into what can be done to save more lives.

“To continue to keep Australians safe at work we need to ensure compliance with the Standard and extend these safety features to older quad bikes,” he said.

Public Health Association of Australia CEO, Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, said “quad bikes are a useful tool on rural properties around Australia, they are also used for recreation but can be dangerous”.

“In addition to a number of deaths, around a thousand serious injuries a year result from quad bike use,” Prof. Slevin said.

“Measures to reduce this toll are welcome and appear to be helping, but more should be done. Enforcement and compliance are essential for the new standards to have a genuine effect.

“Kids under 16 should not be riding them, and older blokes in particular need to take close care when riding them.

“All states should look at their efforts to apply and enforce the Standards and ensure all quad bike users are aware of the dangers, and the rules. Engineering controls like Operator Protector Devices, essentially bars behind the seat to protect riders if they roll, must be mandatory.

“The best farm injury is the one that never happens. Most of these deaths and injuries are preventable and that can be achieved at very little cost.”