Quad Bike Safety: Issues Paper

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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 sorry

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?
Absolutely

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?
There should be a standard for their centre of gravity, which involves the average weight of a rider and the position they sit on the bike. This could easily be done with a tilt table and a weighted model strapped to the bike, then measuring the angle the bike tips at.

Also a power limit for quad bikes - 1000cc is way too much, and having an engine this size just adds more weight to the bike.
Some of the newer models are not only too powerful but the riding position is really high, so having these standards could save a lot of injury.

There is a great product called the 'throttle lock' which stops you from bumping the throttle by accident - it would be a simple for the manufacturers to add something like this as a standard feature.

Having a reversing beeper fitted as standard would be great - a lot of people have been injured from not realising their bike was in reverse and accelerated then been thrown off.

There should be a limit to the size of the sprayers advertised for quad bikes, and the design shouldn't create the quad bike to go past a specified COG. They should also be designed so the liquid can't rush to one side of the sprayer when half full.

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)?
Yes - they need to make the mounting points on the carriers a lot stronger

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?
For the quad bikes them selves, some of these design changes wouldn't cost much, and would be done before the bikes arrived into Australia - the extra safety features would be a new selling point

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?
By limiting the power or size of quad bikes, this may have a negative effect - the US will always make big powerful gear!
It would only be a fraction of the market, so may not have any impact - most farming models would average 500cc

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?
It should be a lot clearer about adding attachments tot he bikes, and what it does to the performance.

The manufacturers being so negative about CPDs/roll bars is shocking - sure in some cases they wouldn't help but in most they would (like a seat belt in a car)
It would be one thing if they just said it was the riders decision to fit it, but to actively campaign against it is shocking, and consumers need clear info on the options available, so they can make their own decision and not be influenced by the quad bike manufacturers views.

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

In relation to the option of a consumer safety rating system:
Here again - having a COG rating, and this displayed on the bike that it has passed or at what rating it is, could be of value.
This wouldn't cost much a would be key info for a consumer.

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:
A combination of both - with any new standards no doubt there is a lot of cost in researching and documenting it, but that would be a one-off cost.

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

10) If the ACCC recommends a mandatory safety standard for quad bikes:
Yes I think so - sports and recreation it's risky and the riders know that
Sports models are totally different to farming models - generally a sports model would kill from crushing, more from the speed they can go, whereas most farming models are the opposite.
Childrens models could be limited to a certain size/weight

SSV's are a totally different machine to quad bikes, and consumers need to be fully aware of this - they aren't a safer option. Some jobs they are and some they aren't, but to get one for the sole reason of being safer would create a question of what the consumer knew about the risks of them. Choosing the right vehicle for the job is essential, and there needs to be more info/training about this.
SSV's also need standards, but these would be totally different to quad bikes.

Standards could have either an expiry date or a review date - a review date would be more beneficial in the fact info could be updated online, and the physical labels or info on the vehicles wouldn't need to be updated (a lot more cost effective)

It would be easiest to apply new standard to new bikes sold after the transition date - there could be a program to help subsidise getting older models up to a standard or checked off.

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 bikes will be 20 years old and still going strong, so for 380,000 to be replaced with new models, could take some time!
A start would be to introduce a basic 'warrant of fitness' system, and any bike that is serviced by a dealer needs to pass this once a year - this could purge out a lot of older bikes and turn them into spare parts (features such as faulty brakes, rusty frames, damaged plastics etc etc that wouldn't be worth fixing, would 'write off' the bike as such)

12) Please provide any other information you consider may be relevant to the ACCC’s consideration of these issues.

12) Please provide any other information you consider may be relevant to the ACCC’s consideration of these issues.
One of the main things is reducing the influence or impact that manufacturers have had with their 'anti roll bar' campaign - for them to still be promoting this is unacceptable, and it should be made clear it's the rider decision to fit it. If they don't want to promote it that's up to them, but to oppose systems that can save lives is crazy.

Also training about where quad bikes and SSV's should be used (and when other alternative vehicles such as 2-wheelers, tractors, UTEs could be used) - having a basic check list with all options of vehicles and the jobs they're best suited for could be beneficial.