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One ride can change everything

Don’t risk it, ride safe every time.

Quad bikes are one of the leading causes of injury and death on Australian farms. There have been over 200 recorded fatalities from quad bikes in Australia since 2011.

This campaign is aimed at people who own or operate a quad bike, to raise awareness about:

  • the serious risk of injury or death related to quad bikes
  • how to reduce their risk.

This includes older adults, the age group with the most fatalities, and children, who are at highest risk of injury on a quad bike.

Always wear a helmet and make sure your quad bike is fitted with rollover protection, also called an operator protection device (OPD). Children under the age of 16 should never ride an adult quad bike, even when an adult is present.

Read our media release about the campaign.

The resources on this page aim to support conversations in rural and regional communities about quad bike safety and reduce the risk of serious injury or death.

Social media posts

Download and share these images and posts on your social media channels to raise awareness of quad bike safety.

You can tag the ACCC with these social media handles:

Social media post - keep kids off adult quad bikes

Suggested text:

One ride can change everything.

Children are at greater risk of serious injury on quad bikes. Never let children ride adult quad bikes, even as passengers.

Find out more at productsafety.gov.au/quadbikes

Social media post - protect your loved ones

Suggested text:

One ride can change everything.

Even for a quick job, protect your loved ones – helmet on, rollover protection and no kids on adult quad bikes.

Find out more at productsafety.gov.au/quadbikes

Social media post - get home safe

Suggested text:

One ride can change everything.

Even experienced riders can be caught off guard. Get home safe with a helmet, rollover protection and no children on adult quad bikes.

Find out more at productsafety.gov.au/quadbikes

Fact sheet and postcard

Download and print this fact sheet and postcard to display at your organisation or share in your community to help start a conversation about quad bike safety.

Quad bike stories

Share these stories about quad bike safety from:

  • Walter, a farmer and quad bike accident survivor
  • Dr Chris McMullen, Bundaberg Clinical Lead, LifeFlight
  • Dr Neil Thomson, Clinical Director Retrieval Services, Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Their stories highlight the serious risks of quad bike accidents and reinforce the key safety messages of the campaign:

  • always wear a helmet
  • use rollover protection
  • never let children ride adult quad bikes.

 

Case study - Walter

Walter is a cattle and sheep farmer

On a warm February afternoon, Walter, 73, was wrapping up a long day mustering on his cattle and sheep property 540 km west of Brisbane.

'The quad bike is the best way to navigate all the mulga trees on the property,' he said.

'But after eight years of drought, I wasn’t used to so much grass.

'The quad bike wheels hit a clump of dirt, it rolled, and the impact bent the handlebars.

'I don’t recall but I assume the quad bike bounced on top of me.'

Thanks to the local Queensland Ambulance Service paramedic and the LifeFlight team, Walter was able to get to hospital quickly for life-saving treatment. He is lucky to be alive to tell his story.

'The impact left me with two punctured lungs, 22 of my 24 ribs were fractured, I had a lacerated kidney, cracked neck vertebrae and a dislocated collar bone.'

Despite the severity of his injuries, Walter has recovered well and is back on the quad bike and busy mustering again.

“Since the accident I now use a ute for checking the dams.

“My advice to anyone using a quad bike is to be doubly careful and ride to the conditions and your ability.'

Case study - Dr Chris McMullen

Dr Chris McMullen, LifeFlight

Dr Chris McMullen is the Bundaberg base Clinical Lead at LifeFlight – an aeromedical rescue service in Queensland.

On average, LifeFlight attends 25 quad bike injury cases each year – around two every month.

Dr McMullen has seen first-hand the life-changing impact of quad bike accidents on riders, families and rural communities.

'I see a lot of broken limbs and ribs. In serious cases we see pelvic fractures, spinal injuries, severe head trauma and internal bleeding requiring transfusions,' he said.

'One case that stands out is an accident where a rider rolled her quad bike down a hill – her leg was so badly crushed it had to be amputated.'

Beyond physical injuries, Dr McMullen has witnessed the emotional toll on families.

'I’ve seen parents crying at their child’s side, praying the transfusion will help them pull through, and hoping that when they wake from a coma, they’ll still be the same person.'

He said protection and prevention is critical. 'The most important action quad bike riders can take is to wear a helmet and protective clothing, and have rollover protection fitted – it can be the difference between life and death.

'Also, drive to the conditions and never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs. You can’t predict when an accident will happen, but you can prepare for it.'

Case study - Dr Neil Thomson

Dr Neil Thomson, Royal Flying Doctor Service South Australia and Northern Territory

Dr Thomson is a Retrieval Consultant with the Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT (RFDS), which provides emergency medical and primary healthcare services to people in rural and remote Australia.

'I’ve attended many quad bike accidents in my time as a doctor.

'Although some accidents will be relatively minor, others can have devastating, lifelong consequences for the rider and their families.

'Children are at very high risk of injury from quad bikes.

'When you put a child onto an adult-sized quad bike they are often over-confident in their ability to control the bike. Children often don’t have the skills or physical strength to handle the power of these bikes and it can have catastrophic outcomes.

'Please keep children off adult-sized quad bikes. Wear a helmet, but make sure it’s the right fit, and done up firmly. Adult-sized helmets don’t protect child-sized heads, and no helmet works if it’s left in the shed.

'Quad bikes are an incredibly useful piece of equipment on farms and stations and great for having fun on – but do it safely and build safety into your habits around it.

Don’t let the first time you think about safety be after you’ve had a crash.

'Ride to the conditions – lower your speed where there are tight turns and trees or other things to collide with.'

Newsletter content

Share this ready-to-use content in your newsletter or publications to help raise awareness of quad bike safety. It includes safety messages and quotes from ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh.

One ride can change everything. Don’t risk it, ride safe every time.

The ACCC has launched a safety awareness campaign across regional Australia, urging farmers to take extra care on quad bikes, as older male farmers remain the most at risk of serious or fatal accidents.

Since 2011, 234 Australians have died in quad bike incidents, with men accounting for more than 80% of fatalities, figures from SafeWork Australia show.

'Quad bikes pose a serious risk of injury and death because they can easily roll over, even at low speeds. When they roll over, these heavy vehicles can cause suffocation, head injuries and crush body parts,' ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.

'Most quad bike deaths occur on farms, and men over 70 years are statistically the most at risk age group.'

Children are also at risk. Children under 16 make up more than a quarter of all emergency department presentations relating to quad bike injuries.

'We want to remind all quad bike users, particularly parents of children on farms, that quad bikes are not toys – they are powerful machines.' Mr Keogh said.

The 'One ride can change everything' campaign encourages farmers, parents and carers of farm children to protect their loved ones by following this safety advice:

  • helmet on
  • rollover protection fitted
  • never let children ride adult quad bikes.

Find out more at productsafety.gov.au/quadbikes

Banners

Download these banners and publish to your website, in newsletters or other channels to help raise awareness about quad bike safety.

See also

Quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles guide

Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra