TO help reduce the incidence of deaths and injuries occurring on Australian farms, Elders Insurance has launched a campaign to improve quad-bike safety and raise awareness of the importance of operating these vehicles correctly.
According to a 2013 Safe Work Australia report, incidents involving vehicles accounted for 71 per cent of fatalities on farms over the eight years from July 1, 2003, to June 30, 2011.
With incorrect use, a key contributor to quad-bike accidents, Elders Insurance is making available a short, online video training series on a dedicated safety portal, farmsafetyfirst.com.au, aimed at providing practical knowledge about how to operate a quad bike safely.
Launching the campaign, Elders Insurance general manager Jon Fox said the company was encouraging everyone who lived or worked on a farm in Australia and
who had access to a quad bike or all-terrain vehicle to undertake their online training.
“It’s straightforward and will only take 10 to 15 minutes, but the knowledge and awareness you will gain about how important safety is when operating these vehicles
could save your life or that of a loved one,” Mr Fox said.
“We know that our training is not a complete solution; however, we want to do what we can to help reduce the occurrence of these devastating accidents on farms,
many of which are caused by incorrect use of vehicles.
“Our message is simple and clear: be better informed, be aware of how you’re using quad bikes and whether they are appropriate for your farming activities, and importantly, be safe.”
As an added incentive to encourage take-up of the training, anyone who completes the modules and short assessment is eligible to go in the running to win a Sportsman ACE, a revolutionary vehicle fitted standard with a rollover protection structure (ROPS).
The Sportsman ACE was released in January this year by Polaris.
Mr Fox said there was considerable research and development into off-road vehicles and safety, particularly quad bikes, and he commended the work being done.
The safety campaign will include the screening of farm-safety community service messages on rural and regional TV across Australia.
