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Quad bike fatality data

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Summary of quad bike fatalities (2011–2018)

  • More than one third (39%) of quad bike fatalities occurred on terrain where an incline was noted by investigators (49 out of 126 fatalities)
  • Over half (55%) of quad bike fatalities occurred on uneven ground
  • Over half (60%) of quad bike fatalities involved rollovers (76), with 50 non-rollovers (collision/thrown from the quad/other)
  • A potential weight imbalance (e.g. through carrying spray tanks, cargo, passengers, towing heavy trailers) was noted for over one third (36%) of quad bike fatalities
  • In 10% (13) of quad bike fatalities the rider was wearing a helmet, 58% (73) were not wearing a helmet and in 32% of fatalities it was unknown if a helmet had been worn or not
  • 49% (62) of the quad bike fatalities occurred while the deceased was riding while not working, 49% (62) occurred when deceased was working
  • Over three-quarters 84% (106) of the quad bike fatalities were males. Of the 20 females who have died, over half (55%) rode an imbalanced quad bike
  • Children under the age of 16 were involved in 10% (12) of the fatal incidents
  • None of the 126 fatalities mentioned any form of rollover protection on the vehicle

Note: Information compiled by Safe Work Australia.
Analysis includes all known quad bike fatalities where the date of death occurred between 2011 and 2018.

2019 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
35 Male TAS Rollover Non-working Yes Incline Dirt passenger(s) on vehicle

2018 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
17 Male WA Rollover Working - - Dirt -
20 Male QLD Rollover Working - - Road -
31 Female NSW Rollover Non-working - Incline Dirt passenger on vehicle
31 Male QLD Rollover after collision Non-working - Highway - -
31 Male QLD Flipped and rolled Working no Incline Dirt -
35 Male QLD Accident Working - - Dirt -
44 Male NSW Rollover Non-working - - - -
50 Male QLD Collision with parked trailer Working - - Dirt -
69 Make NT Rollover Non-working - Highway - -
82 Male VIC Accident Non-working - Incline Dirt -

2017 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
6 Female NSW Collision Non-working - - Dird road Passenger(s) on vehicle
7 Male NSW Rollover Non-working Yes - - -
8 Male NSW Rollover Non-working - - - -
37 Male SA Rollover Working - - - -
38 Male Vic Rollover Working - Incline - Trailer attached to vehicle
41 Male QLD Collision Non-working No incline Dirt track -
60 Male NSW Rollover Working - - Gravel/rocky -
60 Male NSW - Working - - - -
66 Male QLD - Working - - - -
69 Male Vic Rollover Working - - Dirt gravel -
74 Male NSW Rollover Non-working - Incline - -

2016 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
16 Male VIC Collision Non-working No - Gravel Passenger(s) on vehicle
18 Male QLD Rollover Non-working No - Ditch -
53 Male NSW Rollover Non-working - - Dirt road -
53 Female QLD Rollover Working - Incline Soft dirt Container attached to vehicle
53 Male VIC Collision Non-working No - Dirt track -
54 Male NSW Rollover Working - - - -
62 Male QLD Rollover Non-working No Incline - -
65 Male QLD Rollover Working No Incline - -
69 Male VIC Rollover Working - Incline Rocky/Muddy -
88 Male QLD Rollover Non-working No Incline - Container attached to vehicle

2015 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
6 Male WA Rollover Non-working Yes - Sand Child on adult vehicle
7 Male NSW Rollover Non-working No - Uneven surface Child on adult vehicle
15 Male NSW Rollover Non-working No Incline Gravel/rocky -
21 Male TAS Rollover Non-working No - Road -
29 Male TAS Rollover Non-working No - Road -
33 Male WA Collision Non-working Yes - Dirt track -
49 Male VIC Collision Non-working No - Sand -
49 Male WA Other Working No - Mud -
51 Male NSW Collision Working - - Ditch -
53 Female NT Rollover Non-working No - Road Vehicle being towed
57 Male QLD Collision Working - Incline - -
59 Male QLD Collision Working No - Ditch -
67 Male VIC Rollover Working No Incline - Container attached to vehicle
67 Male WA Collision Working No - Uneven surface Container attached to vehicle
68 Male VIC Rollover Working - Incline Grass Container attached to vehicle
69 Male NSW Rollover Non-working - - Road -
75 Male TAS Rollover Non-working No Incline Gravel/rocky -
75 Male VIC Collision Working - - - -
78 Male QLD Rollover Working No Incline - Container attached to vehicle
81 Male VIC Collision Working No Incline Grass Rode side saddle
85 Male VIC Collision Working - - Mud -

2014 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
9 Male QLD Rollover Non-working (bystander) Yes Incline Dirt/uneven surface Passenger(s) on vehicle
12 Male QLD Rollover Non-working Yes Incline Dirt road Child on adult vehicle
12 Male VIC Rollover Working No - - Container attached to vehicle
23 Male NSW Collision Non-working No Incline Dirt track -
25 Male NSW Collision - - - Gravel road -
26 Male QLD Rollover Working No - Dirt track -
27 Male VIC Collision Working - - Road -
40 Male QLD Rollover Non-working No Incline Dirt/uneven surface Passenger(s) on vehicle
49 Male NSW Rollover Working No - Grass -
53 Male QLD Rollover Non-working No - Uneven surface -
54 Male VIC Rollover Non-working - - - -
59 Female VIC Rollover Working - Incline Dirt -
64 Female TAS Collision Working No - Road Trailer attached to vehicle
67 Male NSW Other Working No - - -
69 Male NSW Rollover Non-working No - Hit object -

2013 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
5 Male NSW Rollover Working (bystander) No Incline Ditch Passenger(s) on vehicle
11 Female QLD Rollover Non-working No Incline Dirt track Child on adult vehicle
21 Female QLD Collision Working No - Hit object -
21 Male QLD Other Non-working No - Ditch Container attached to vehicle
23 Male TAS Other Non-working No Incline Hit object Passenger(s) on vehicle
25 Male NSW Collision Non-working - - - Passenger(s) on vehicle
26 Male QLD Collision Non-working No - Hit fence -
27 Male NSW Rollover Working No - Uneven surface -
28 Female QLD Other Non-working No - Dirt track -
35 Male QLD Collision Non-working - - Road -
35 Female QLD - Non-working - - - -
38 Male VIC Other Non-working No - Road -
43 Male QLD Collision Working Yes - Dirt track -
45 Male NSW Rollover Working No Incline - Object mounted on vehicle
53 Male QLD Rollover Working No - Hit object -
59 Male WA Rollover Non-working - - Dirt track -
60 Female WA Rollover Working No Incline Dirt -
60 Male NSW Rollover Working No Incline - -
66 Male VIC Rollover Working No - Dirt track -
70 Male QLD Other Working No - - -
86 Male QLD Rollover Working No - Dirt -

2012 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
4 Female QLD Rollover Non-working No - Grass Passenger(s) on vehicle/Child on adult vehicle
7 Female SA Other Non-working No Incline Sand Passenger(s) on vehicle
11 Male QLD Rollover Non-working Yes - Gravel/rocky Child on adult vehicle
13 Female NSW Rollover Non-working No Incline Gravel/rocky Passenger(s) on vehicle
18 Female QLD Collision Non-working Yes - Sand -
18 Female WA Collision Non-working No Incline Sand Passenger(s) on vehicle
19 Male QLD Collision Non-working Yes Incline Gravel/rocky -
42 Female QLD Rollover Working No Incline - -
47 Male TAS Rollover Non-working Yes Incline Dirt track Passenger(s) on vehicle
51 Male QLD Collision Working No - Gravel -
54 Male NSW Other Working - Incline - -
56 Male WA Rollover Non-working No - Gravel/rocky -
58 Male VIC Rollover Non-working No - Gravel/rocky Trailer attached to vehicle
63 Female TAS Collision Working No Incline Gravel -
67 Male VIC Rollover Working - Incline - Container attached to vehicle
73 Male VIC Collision Non-working No - - -
76 Male QLD Collision Non-working - - Grass -
78 Male NSW Rollover Working No Incline Gravel/rocky -

2011 quad bike fatalities

Age Sex State Type of incident Activity Helmet worn1 Terrain Reported ground surface1 Possible weight imbalance2
4 Male QLD Rollover Non-working Yes - - Quad recommended for ages 10+
11 Male VIC Rollover Non-working Yes - - Child on adult vehicle
11 Male VIC Rollover Working No - Dirt track Child on adult vehicle
22 Male VIC Collision Non-working No Incline Sand Adult on mini quad bike
34 Female NSW Rollover Working No Incline Uneven surface Container attached to vehicle
39 Male VIC Collision Non-working Yes - Gravel road -
42 Male ACT Collision Non-working No - Dirt road Passenger(s) on vehicle
55 Male VIC Rollover Working No Incline Uneven surface Container attached to vehicle
57 Male NSW Rollover Working - Incline Gravel/rocky -
57 Female TAS Rollover Working - - Ditch -
62 Male QLD Collision Working - Dirt - -
65 Male NSW Other Working No Incline Gravel/rocky -
66 Male NSW Rollover Non-working No Incline Gravel/rocky -
67 Male NT Collision Working No - Ditch -
68 Male NSW Rollover Non-working - Incline - Container attached to vehicle
70 Male TAS Collision Non-working No Incline Dirt track Passenger(s) on vehicle
78 Male SA Other Working - Incline Gravel/rocky Passenger(s) on vehicle
79 Male NSW Rollover Working - Incline - Container attached to vehicle
84 Male SA Rollover Non-working - Incline - -
94 Male VIC Rollover Working No - Ditch -

1 Helmet and ground surface information is based on information provided police and or coroners reports.

2 Safe Work Australia has designated a potential weight imbalance when the following factors are mentioned in coroners and police reports: more than one rider on bike, towing trailer, supplementary weight on bike (e.g. drums containing liquid chemicals). This is Safe Work Australia’s judgment only and does not necessarily represent any verdict handed down by a coroner.

3 Case status as listed on the National Coronial Information System as at 7 June 2013. Closed cases will not be updated.

Summary of quad bike fatalities (2001–2010)

  • Almost one-third (29%) of quad bike fatalities occurred on terrain where an incline was noted by investigators (36 out of 125 fatalities)
  • Almost half (44%) of quad bike fatalities occurred on uneven ground
  • Just under half (47%) of quad bike fatalities involved a primary rollover (59), with 63 non-rollovers (collisions/thrown from quad) and three cases undefined)
  • A potential weight imbalance (e.g. through carrying spray tanks, cargo, passengers, towing heavy trailers,) was noted for one-third (44) of the quad bike fatalities
  • In 15% (19) of quad bike fatalities the rider was wearing a helmet, 46% were not wearing a helmet and in 39% of fatalities it was unknown if a helmet had been worn or not
  • 50% of the quad bike fatalities occurred while the deceased was riding Non-workingly, 46% occurred while the deceased was working and the remainder were undefined
  • A total of 82% (102) of the quad bike fatalities were males. Of the 23 females who have died, 8 were passengers on the quad bike
  • Children under the age of 16 were involved in 19% (24) of the fatal incidents
  • None of the 125 fatalities mentioned any form of rollover protection on the vehicle

Note: Information provided by the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health & Safety.
Analysis includes all known Quad bike fatalities where the date of death occurred between 2001 and 2010. Only 12 of the 125 cases remain open and more data may be forthcoming on those cases.

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Last modified on Friday 8 February 2019 [6716|88391]