In 2017, the ACCC formed a taskforce to investigate and determine whether to recommend to the Assistant Treasurer that a mandatory safety standard for quad bikes be made under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).
Issues paper
On 13 November 2017, the ACCC released an Issues Paper for comment. Consultation closed on 15 December 2017.
Public submissions received have been published on the ACCC's consultation hub at:
Quad bike safety issues paper.
See: Quad Bike Safety Issues Paper ( PDF 702.91 KB )
Consultation RIS
On 22 March 2018, the ACCC released a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) for comment. Consultation closed on 4 May 2018.
Public submissions received have been published on the ACCC's consultation hub at:
Quad bike safety regulation impact statement.
See: Quad Bike Safety - Consultation Regulation Impact Statement ( PDF 1.9 MB )
Exposure draft
On 1 March 2019, the ACCC made a recommendation to the then Assistant Treasurer to make a mandatory safety standard under the Australian Consumer Law.
See: Quad bike safety - Final Recommendation to the Minister ( PDF 3.22 MB )
On 6 April 2019, an exposure draft of the safety standard was released for comment. Consultation closed on 10 June 2019.
See: Quad bike safety - Exposure Draft ( PDF 576.43 KB )
World Trade Organization
On 17 July 2019, the ACCC notified the World Trade Organization, under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, of the draft safety standard. No comments were received by Member nations. One submission was received from an industry stakeholder.
See: WorldTradeOrganizationAUS111 ( PDF 78.8 KB )
Safety standard
On 10 October 2019, the Assistant Treasurer announced the mandatory standard, Consumer Goods (Quad Bikes) Safety Standard 2019 under the Australian Consumer Law.
See: ACCC welcomes new quad bike safety standard
An explanatory statement, including a regulation impact statement, is available online. The regulation impact statement consists of the ACCC’s Final Recommendation (February 2019) and an addendum on the Exposure Draft and World Trade Organization notification.
See: Quad Bike Safety - Final recommendation with addendum ( PDF 6.07 MB )
Complementary measures to improve quad bike safety
The ACCC is a member of an Interdepartmental Committee (IDC) focused on the safety of quad bikes, which is led by the Attorney-General’s Department.
The IDC will continue to progress complementary measures to improve quad bike safety. These may include:
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measures to increase the use of helmets and other personal protection equipment
- prohibiting children from riding adult quad bikes
- prohibiting passengers on single seat quad bikes
- education and training
- extension of current quad bike safety rebates.
The ACCC considers these measures important in reducing deaths and serious injuries from quad bikes although the measures cannot be progressed under the Australian Consumer Law.
More information
Quad bikes mandatory standard
Quad bikes
Quad bike safety standard - FAQ for suppliers