245 people have died in quad bike related incidents in Australia since 2011. The majority of fatalities were the result of a collision or rollover, and 43 of those killed were aged 19 or under. As of 9 April, 10 quad bike fatalities have been recorded so far in 2026.
In an effort to reduce those numbers Safe Work Australia (SWA) is undertaking public consultation to seek feedback on a range of regulatory and non-regulatory options to manage the risks when operating quad bikes in the workplace and ultimately improve quad bike safety.
Any stakeholders, industry representatives, WHS regulators and members of the public with an interest in quad bike safety in the workplace are encouraged to have their say.
Some of the regulatory options SWA are consulting on include:
- requiring operator protective devices (OPDs) to be fitted on all quad bikes when used in the workplace (examples shown in the picture above)
- mandating helmets to be worn on all quad bikes when used in the workplace
- restricting the carrying of passengers on operator-only (type 1) quad bikes when used in the workplace
- restricting the use of all quad bikes in the workplace to persons 16 years of age and over
SWA are particularly interested in feedback on the practical impacts of these options, including benefits and costs, and whether there may be any unintended consequences.
Non-regulatory options include:
- improving quad bike data collection processes, and
- conducting targeted quad bike safety communication activities.
SWA also welcomes stakeholder views on other options that could improve quad bike safety in the workplace.
Any stakeholders, industry representatives, WHS regulators and members of the public with an interest in quad bike safety in the workplace are encouraged to have their say.
Download the consultation paper on the Safe Work Australia’s Consultation Hub and share your thoughts by uploading a submission or completing the online questionnaire. Information gathered through the consultation process will be considered by Safe Work Australia Members.
The consultation is open until 11.59 pm (AEST) on Monday 1 June 2026.
More information about quad bikes is available on Safe Work Australia’s website and the Safe Work Australia interactive quad bike data dashboard.
Read more: Consultation Hub| Improving the safety of quad bikes used in the workplace - Safe Work