Quad Bike Safety: Issues Paper

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Denise Combes

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Questions 1-6

1) Can you provide additional data or information on costings of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes?

1) Can you provide additional data or information on costings of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes?
No

2) Would design changes to quad bikes be likely to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes in Australia?

2) Would design changes to quad bikes be likely to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes in Australia?
yes

3) If you answered ‘yes’ to question 2, what design changes do you consider would have this effect? Which design features, if any, should a safety standard mandate or prohibit? In particular the ACCC is interested in understanding design changes that are likely to reduce:

3) If you answered ‘yes’ to question 2, what design changes do you consider would have this effect? Which design features, if any, should a safety standard mandate or prohibit?
Redesign the footpegs and footrest to reduce injuries to all riders.

Reduce the width of the footrest - currently most footrests are as wide as a booted foot, running the length of the space between the front & back tyres. A narrower footrest could reduce the impact of the footrest on legs (and other parts of the body) when they are trapped along this section of the ATV.

Redesign the edge and under-edge of the footrest - the severity of leg injuries when impacted by the footrest could be reduced by ensuring there are no steel edges to act as knives on leg muscles, particularly when rider and ATV are tangling down a hillside. Metal and plastic trims could be provided with a safer edging design.

The ATV Lifeguard Roll Bar is an excellent innovation that could be retrofitted to all ATVs.

Idea - can an airbag be fitted to the front/top of the handlebars with a sensor that detects angle of tilt, so that the airbag is activated when an ATV rolls? This would prevent front end/handlebar impact and reduce crush injuries to the rider.






4) If your view is that design features should be mandated or prohibited to increase quad bike safety, could the regulation be designed to encourage innovation rather than prescribing particular products or technical solutions (for example by ensuring fitting points or attachment mechanisms to allow the development of improved CPDs or ROPSs or by prescribing performance-based outcomes rather than technical designs)?

4) If your view is that design features should be mandated or prohibited to increase quad bike safety, could the regulation be designed to encourage innovation rather than prescribing particular products or technical solutions (for example by ensuring fitting points or attachment mechanisms to allow the development of improved CPDs or ROPSs or by prescribing performance-based outcomes rather than technical designs)?
'Encourage innovation' risks the proliferation of homemade ROPS and seatbelt solutions that cause additional injuries and legal implications.

Better to enable the development of new safety features within recognised safety and quality assurance guidelines.

The development of the ATV Lifeguard Roll Bar must have had some good systems in place. Refer to this product and note the positives.

5) If any or all of these design changes were implemented in Australia, are you able to estimate the additional cost that would be imposed on Australian suppliers?

5) If any or all of these design changes were implemented in Australia, are you able to estimate the additional cost that would be imposed on Australian suppliers?
I don't care.

Ambulance callout in rural WA currently costs $900+

plus the cost of RFDS, free hospital care, operations, rehabilition, loss of income, or the impact of a funeral...

Suppliers need to acknowledge the product design could be improved to improve health and safety outcomes, and build this into the cost.

6) To what extent does the US Standard satisfactorily address design features that ensure quad bikes are safe for use? Do you consider that Australia should adopt a mandatory safety standard similar to the US Standard? To what extent would this option impose additional costs on Australian suppliers or create barriers to trade?

6) To what extent does the US Standard satisfactorily address design features that ensure quad bikes are safe for use? Do you consider that Australia should adopt a mandatory safety standard similar to the US Standard? To what extent would this option impose additional costs on Australian suppliers or create barriers to trade?
I am not familiar with the US Standard.

I am a farmer and ambulance officer who has experienced safety issues first hand, and assisted riders with devastating injuries from ATV incidents at remote locations.

My opinion is that ATVs are underdesigned for safety, overdesigned for appeal, easily accessible for purchase, and fall outside of licensing regulations, and so are not often licensed or maintained appropriately.

Questions 7-12

7) Are consumers currently getting adequate information at the purchase point about quad bike use and limitations or safety information and equipment? Should there be additional warnings or instructions displayed at the point of purchase or provided with the sale of quad bikes?

7) Are consumers currently getting adequate information at the purchase point about quad bike use and limitations or safety information and equipment? Should there be additional warnings or instructions displayed at the point of purchase or provided with the sale of quad bikes?
Warnings at purchase will not assist the friend/child at a campsite who takes the ATV for a spin.

Redesigning ATVs with safety features will be far more effective solution.

8) In relation to the option of a consumer safety rating system:

In relation to the option of a consumer safety rating system:
Tipping point sideways, and front and back ways should be tested.

Potential impact of footrests and wheel arches should be tested.

Potential impact of handlebars should be tested.

Suitability for fitting roll bars should be tested.

Suitability for fitting a tilt air bag should be tested.

This information should be available in the manual and online, and on the ATV for every rider to see and comprehend.

9) If your view is that regulation is needed to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes in Australia, how should these be implemented? One proposed option is to prohibit or mandate particular design features; another is to increase consumer information, including through a consumer safety rating system; a third option is a combination of both:

9) If your view is that regulation is needed to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by quad bikes in Australia, how should these be implemented? One proposed option is to prohibit or mandate particular design features; another is to increase consumer information, including through a consumer safety rating system; a third option is a combination of both:
Any cost analysis of design and education improvements should include a comparison of costs of death in one year, and also to the costs of recovery from all the injuries resulting from an ATV incident since 2007 (10 years).

My guess is that safety design improvements are cheaper for everyone.

10) If the ACCC recommends a mandatory safety standard for quad bikes:

10) If the ACCC recommends a mandatory safety standard for quad bikes:
Same safety standards for all ATVs no matter the use.

Standards should be phased in over a reasonable period to be decided referencing industry ability to respond to the requirements.

Retro fitted equipment should be available for existing ATVs so the standards apply to all.

If an airbag cannot be fitted then an approved roll bar must be utilised.

If the footplate design if pre-2018 then approved modified footplates must be fitted.

This creates manufacturing opportunites within Australia, which should be included as an offset to the cost of the supplier changes ... !

11) What is the life cycle of quad bikes in Australia? For example, on average how long do consumers use quad bikes before the vehicle is retired? How long might it take before the current stock of 380,000 quad bikes is replaced by new stock that satisfies requirements of a safety standard, if imposed?

11) What is the life cycle of quad bikes in Australia? For example, on average how long do consumers use quad bikes before the vehicle is retired? How long might it take before the current stock of 380,000 quad bikes is replaced by new stock that satisfies requirements of a safety standard, if imposed?
Some of the existing ATVs will be in use in 10-20 years time. Our ATV is 15 years old and still going strong.

Retrofitting of safety equipment is a must. Refer the seatbelt experience in the 1970s. Just make it complusory asap.