Quad bikes
Quad bikes have been known to cause injury or death to children under 16 because of the way they are designed, combined with the lack of ability of children to spot hazards and make quick decisions.
We do not recommend children under 16 years of age operate a quad bike of any engine size, and they should not be considered play equipment for children.
What you need to know
Between 2011 and 2018, 11 children aged 0-14 died and 259 were hospitalised because of quad bikes.
Quad bikes have a high centre of gravity and a narrow wheelbase which makes them unstable. They are likely to topple or roll over, even at low speeds.
Children under 16 are not considered old enough to be able to spot risks and hazards and make correct, quick decisions. They have also been known to position themselves incorrectly on the bike.
These combined factors make quad bikes unsafe for child use.
Crush protection systems may provide safer engineering of a quad bike, but the recommendation remains that children under 16 should not be using any kind of quad bike even with modifications.
What you need to do
We urge parents of children under 16 years old to refrain from allowing them to operate a quad bike with or without safety modifications, and of any engine size. The risks and potential of injury or death is very high.