Kidsafe Victoria today called for all quad bikes to carry a highly visible warning that children under 16 should not be driving or riding on the vehicles as passengers.

It would then become illegal to import or sell quad bikes without the warnings in place.

Parents are currently putting their children’s lives at risk by ignoring the mounting evidence of injury and deaths resulting for quad bike activity mainly on private land.

The renewed calls follow an article in the Australian Medical Journal again detailing the deaths and major injuries to children in Australia related to quad bikes.

Robert Caulfield, President of Kidsafe Victoria said, “The branding of the Quad Bikes with warnings should become part of a national community awareness campaign to stem the number of deaths and injuries of children involved with the quad bikes.”

During the period between July 2000 – June 2009 there were 27 deaths of children aged 0-15 years in Australia associated with quad bikes. According to a Victorian Coroners Report, in Victoria alone, four children have died on quad bikes since 2009; three of these were aged between 10 and 14 years.

Mr Caulfield said that while quad bikes have become a major and useful vehicle in agriculture, they have also become a danger to children.

He said ‘It’s important that parent’s recognise the imminent danger they present to young children if they allow them to ride quad bikes as a recreational vehicle or while doing farm work.”  

“Like all community awareness programs, it is important to have the Safety Message up front and centre. The inclusion of prominent signage on the quad bike would be a constant reminder that they are not suitable for use of children under sixteen.” said Mr Caulfield.