On October 11th, 2020, the first stage of the new mandatory safety requirements for all new and imported second hand quad bikes sold in Australia came into effect. The second and final stage of these changes applies from October 11th, 2021. These safety measures were recommended by the ACCC in response to the on-going fatalities as a result of quad bike accidents across Australia.
Ongoing concern for quad bike fatalities
In Australia, from 2001 to 2010, there were 125 quad bike fatalities1. This figure then increased from 2011 to 2018, taking the number to 128 fatalities1. Between 2019 to 13 May 2021, there have been 331. What is most alarming about these statistics, is that there were three times as many fatalities in 2020 as there were in 2019 (24 vs 8)1. In most cases, these fatalities were due to rollovers on ground that was either uneven or on an incline.
Changes that will affect Australian farmers
Given that quad bikes are an important tool on farms and are frequently used for mustering stock, these changes will directly affect the farming community. As mentioned above, these legislated changes have two stages.
The first stage, which came into effect on October 11, 2020, requires all new and imported second hand quad bikes to adhere to the following safety measures2:
- Testing for lateral static stability must have taken place and the angle at which the quad bike will tip onto two wheels must be displayed on a hang tag at the point of sale
- A spark arrestor must be fitted that conforms to AS 1019-2000 or the US Standard 5100-1d
- Information concerning the risk of rollovers must be included in the owner’s manual or information handbook
- A clearly legible rollover warning label must be attached and visible when the quad bike is in use
- These quad bikes must meet the requirements of the US standard ANSI/SVIA 1-2017 or the European equivalent, EN 15997:2011
The second stage, which will come into effect on October 11, 2021, will heavily affect the use of quad bikes on farms. That’s because it requires all new and imported second hand general use quad bikes to adhere to the following safety measures3,4:
- To provide lateral toll stability the quad bike requires a minimum Tilt Table Ration (TTR) of 0.55 which means that the quad bike must not tip onto two wheels on a slope that is less than 38.81 degrees
- To provide front and rear longitudinal pitch stability, the quad bikes requires a minimum TTR of 0.8 to prevent the quad bike tipping on two wheels on a slope less than 38.65 degrees
- An operator protection device (OPD) must either be fitted to the quad bike or integrated into the design. This is aimed at protecting the rider from being crushed or pinned under the quad bike if it rolls over
At 360 Underwriting, we have experts available to discuss your specific needs. Contact one of our 360 Farm & Regional specialists today for more information.
Please note the information in this article is general in nature and should not be relied upon as advice, as it does not consider your personal needs, objectives and financial situation. The contents of this article should not be relied upon as legal advice. Please seek advice from your independent legal adviser. All coverage is subject to the specific terms and conditions contained In the Policy wording.
