Stakeholders divided on new ATV recommendations

Seatbelts, banning children under the age of 16, mandating both helmets and licences and introducing a quad bike safety rating system are among the latest ATV recommendations being met with varying consensus by industry stakeholders.

The recommendations have been put forward by New South Wales’ deputy state coroner Sharon Freund following an investigation into the deaths of two children and six adults in rural areas between 2009 and 2014.

While the director of the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety Dr Tony Lower praised the recommendations as progressive saying, “Having a safety rating scale is a really positive step forward,” the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) disagrees.

Mark Collins, the FCAI’s ATV representative, said while most of Freund’s recommendations had merit, more research into the rating system is needed to ensure effective outcomes.

“The test that they’re doing and the ratings they’re suggesting, we don’t believe will inform the customer or necessarily push them onto a safer product so no, we wouldn’t agree with what they're checking at this point,” Collins told the ABC. “If it was evidence-based, then I’d be more in favour of it in terms of what they're recommending.”

The New South Wales recommendations come after the Queensland government mandated the use of helmets for ATVs on all public roads earlier this month.