Quad bike danger: 'Children are particularly vulnerable'

File photo / NZ Herald

A report is calling for tighter controls on children operating off-road vehicles following the deaths of 22 children at the controls since 2002.

The Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee's latest report studied the deaths of 33 children aged up to 15 in motorcycle, quad bike or motorised agricultural vehicle accidents between 2002 and 2012.

It found an average of three children died every year while driving or riding off-road vehicles in New Zealand - a rate second only to swimming and water deaths.

Of the 33 deaths, 22 involved children operating the vehicles themselves - a total of two thirds of all deaths. Twelve of the deaths involved quad bikes, and a loss of control preceded the crashes in the majority of those cases.

"At times, sudden changes in speed or direction occurred when the rider misused the controls, engaging too much power inappropriately, using the wrong gear or moving in the wrong direction," the report said.

"Such actions seemed to have the greatest impact with inexperienced riders, and when there was a mismatch between the power of the vehicle and the size and age of the child."

The Land Transport Act 1998 did not permit drivers under the age of 16 to drive motorcycles or quad bikes on a public road. Of the eight road deaths in which children were at the controls, half were on public roads.

The report recommended that a single agency, ACC, take responsibility for child and youth injury prevention by facilitating cross-sector planning, implementation and evaluation of safety interventions.

It also recommended that the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) continue to consider the implications of adopting the American National Standard Institute's safety standards, so all off road vehicles were built to minimum construction standards.

Safekids Aotearoa said 30 children died or were hospitalised every year as a result of quad bike injuries.

Studies had also showed that in more than half of all child quad bike injury cases, a child was identified as the driver.

Safekids director Ann Weaver said it was essential that anyone considering buying a quad bike of any size, or allowing a child to drive or ride on one, understood that quad bikes were powerful and heavy machines with a high centre of gravity.

"Children are particularly vulnerable as they do not have the body size, weight, perception and co-ordination skills to actively ride these large machines.

"The evidence is clear, parents should not allow children on quad bikes as they are potentially lethal and have the capacity to inflict on them significant harm."

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said the problem was multi-faceted and requires a multi-faceted response.

"I look forward to these agencies continuing to work together on measures to reduce harm."

Key recommendations:

- When serious injuries or fatalities involving off-road vehicles occur, an extensive, high-quality incident scene and vehicle assessment and analysis should take place regardless of the location of event or the activity at the time.

- A single agency should take responsibility for child and youth injury prevention by facilitating cross sector planning, implementation and evaluation of safety interventions. It was recommended that agency be ACC.

- MBIE should continue to consider the implications of adopting the American National Standard Institute's safety standards so all off road vehicles are built to minimum construction standards

- If a child was going to ride a quad bike, they must be supervised at all times by an adult who has the training, skills and experience to use the vehicle safely.

By the numbers:

Of the 33 children aged under 15 who were killed:

- 36 per cent died in incidents involving quad bikes

- 45 per cent died in incidents involving motorcycles

- 18 per cent died in accidents involving a motorised agricultural vehicle.