ACCC ramps up quad bike safety checks

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has ramped up its surveillance of quad bike suppliers, to ensure they are meeting the new safety regulations introduced last year.

Eighty-four per cent of quad bikes assessed by the ACCC so far have been compliant with the first stage of the new national safety standard, however one in six bikes were non-compliant and recalled following ACCC investigations.

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Introduced in October 2020, stage one of the safety standard requires all new and imported second-hand quad bikes sold in Australia to be tested for roll-over stability, and to have clear warning labels and a hang tag attached.

The second stage will come into effect on October 11 2021, and will require all new and imported second-hand quads to be fitted with operator protection devices (OPDs).

With over 163 quad-related deaths in the past decade, the ACCC recommended the new standard to the government in a bid to reduce the toll. The new rules were approved in 2019.

A war of words erupted in 2020 over the new safety standard, with quad bike manufacturers, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industry (FCAI) and some farm lobby groups opposing the introduction of roll over protection systems.

The argument is that there is not enough scientific evidence to back the use of OPDs, and that they could actually increase risk of injury or death. Instead, they believe that mandatory helmet use, education, and passenger restrictions are the answer to a reduced ATV death toll.

Many of the major manufacturers such as Yamaha, Polaris, Suzuki, Honda, and BRP all refused to fit OPDs, and have since pulled out of the Australian ATV market.

A select few brands such as CFMOTO and newcomer Segway have opted to comply with the rules, and will be fitted with OPDs from October onwards.