NSW Government logo NSW Government SafeWork NSW logo SafeWork NSW
  • About
  • News
  • Contact
  • Roadmap
  • Safety
    starts here
  • Your
    industry
  • Advice &
    resources
  • Legal
    obligations
  • Notify
    SafeWork
  • Compliance &
    prosecutions
  • Licences &
    registrations
  • Home
  • Your industry
  • Agriculture, forestry and fishing
  • Farming
  • Quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles
Share
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • email
Print PDF

Quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles

Quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles are great farming vehicles but they aren't without their dangers. Follow these steps to ensure you stay safe.

Quick links

  • Rebates
  • Training

Choose the right vehicle for the job

Find out whether a quad bike is the best vehicle option for your farm.

Some things to think about are:

  • What will the vehicle be used for? Are you mustering stock, spraying, moving tools and equipment?
  • Who needs to use the vehicle?
  • Do you need to carry or tow a load?
  • What type of terrain will you be driving over?

The right vehicle is the safest one.

Quad bikes

Since 2001, there have been more than 270 deaths in Australia from quad bike incidents. In NSW, there are about two deaths a year.

Operator Protection Devices (OPDs)

Over 60 per cent of quad bike fatalities are due to rollover.

An operator protective device (OPD), also referred to as a crush protection device (CPD), is an engineered attachment that is fitted to a quad bike. They are designed to help protect riders from crush related injuries in the event of a rollover.

There are two OPDs available under the Quad Bike Safety Rebate Program.

Two examples of an operator protection device on quad bikes
On the left is a Quadbar Flexi. On the right is an ATV Lifeguard.

Tyre pressure

Incorrect tyre pressure impacts traction and user stability. Take a few seconds to check the tyre pressure before start up and refer to the instructions in the owner’s manual.

Keep kids off adult-sized quad bikes

Since 2001, 222 kids have lost their lives on Australian farms, with quad bike fatalities being one of the leading causes.  A quarter of these incidents involve children younger than six  years of age.

No child under 16 should ride or be a passenger on adult sized quad bikes.


Mark, a SafeWork inspector says from first-hand experience, children should not be riding on adult-sized quad bikes.

Susan, a paediatric surgeon, says combining kids and quad bikes is a 'deadly mix'.

Read more about child safety on farms.

Side-by-side vehicles

A side-by-side vehicle (SSV) is more stable than a quad bike. It comes fitted with a steering wheel, seat belts and rollover protection, and has a higher load capacity.

A seat belt can save your life

Always wear your seat belt when riding an SSV. If there's a collision or rollover, your seat belt helps keep you secured in your seat and protects you from serious or fatal injuries.

When getting back into your vehicle after opening or closing a gate, always remember to put your seat belt back on.

Check that seat belts and anchor points are in good condition.

Helmets

About 40 per cent of serious injuries from quad bike incidents involve a traumatic head injury.

Always wear a helmet while riding a quad bike or SSV. Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of a fatality in a quad bike incident.

Your helmet should:

  • fit well
  • be securely fastened
  • be kept in good condition

There are a range of helmets suitable for on-farm use that are lightweight, ventilated, and provide sun protection.

More safety tips

  • Wear personal protective equipment, such as goggles and sturdy footwear.
  • Get quad bike and/or SSV training.
  • Make sure someone knows where you're going – carry a mobile phone.
  • Look out for rocks, holes, fallen branches, uneven ground and other obstacles. If you can’t see what the ground conditions are like, get off and walk around the area before you drive over it. A drone might help.

Rebates

If you own or operate a farm in NSW, or work on one, you may be eligible for a safety rebate.

As an owner or operator, you'll be eligible for two rebates totaling up to $2000. You'll get a rebate of up to:

$2000 to buy an SSVlist of eligible SSVs
$600 for an OPD
  • Quadbar Flexi
  • ATV Life Guard
  • $500 for a drone

    Sub 2kg eligible drones

  • DJI Phantom
  • DJI Mavic
  • Parrot Bebop
  • Parrot Disco
  • Yuneec
  • Over 2kg eligible drones

  • DJI Inspire
  • DJI Matrice (200, 210)
  • Xaircraft (P10, P20, P30)
  • $90 for a helmet
  • AS/NZS 1698:2006 – Protective helmets for vehicle users
  • UNECE22.05 – Protective helmets and their visors for drivers and passengers of motorcycles and mopeds
  • NZS 8600:2002 – All-terrain vehicle helmets
  • As a worker, you'll get a $90 rebate towards the purchase of a helmet.

    Training

    You should be trained to operate and maintain a quad bike or SSV safely. We have partnered with Tocal College to deliver free one-day quad bike and SSV training events in regional and remote locations across NSW.  Participants of the quad bike training will also receive a free helmet.

    Find out more

    Eligibility

    To find out if you're eligible and to apply for the rebate, visit the NSW Farmers Association.

    Before you apply, you must do one of the following free educative interactions:

    • watch our webinar
    • visit a SafeWork NSW stall at an event such as an Agricultural Field or Farm Safety Day
    • arrange a safety advisory visit or,
    • arrange quad bike/SSV training through Tocal College.

    Farmers' stories

    Derek Schoen, a farmer from Corowa and former president of the NSW Farmers Association, is a great believer in using an SSV rather than a quad bike.



    Robert Hood, a farmer from Meadow Flat, talks about his near-fatal quad bike incident. He now uses an SSV.

    More true stories

    Listen to other farmers tell their stories about quad bikes and SSVs.


    Research

    Researchers from the Transport and Road Safety Unit at the University of NSW discuss the results from their 1000-odd tests involving a range of quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles.

    Quad bike safety improvement program

    Following the introduction of the quad bike safety improvement program, an assessment of the awareness, attitudes and behaviours of NSW farmers towards quad bikes, SSVs and related matters shows:
    • quad bikes are being used less frequently and more carefully
    • fewer farmers are planning to replace their quad bikes
    • more farmers are switching to SSVs – the use of SSVs has increased by 12 per cent since 2017
    • awareness of safety options, such as OPDs, has increased.

    Read the full report.

    UNSW Sydney – Transport and Road Safety

    • Quad Bike Performance Project
    • Epidemiological Study

    Your obligations

    If you are a farmer who is either an employer, or in charge of a farm workplace - then you must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health and safety of workers and other persons is not put at risk from the work undertaken.  If your work involves the use of quadbikes or side-by-side vehicles (SSVs), then you must ensure those vehicles do not put workers and others at risk.

    It is important that workers who operate any vehicle or machine on the farm have the necessary skills to operate the machine safely in the workplace. Farmers who are employers must assess skills, provide safety inductions and training if necessary.

    Useful publications and posters

    Quad bike safety improvement program

    Outlines the focus areas of the program and the achievements since 2012, including increasing awareness, reducing rollover injuries, offering rebates and promoting safer work practices.

    Find out more
    Qualitative report: Quad bike safety improvement program

    What farmers say about quad bikes, SSVs and the quad bike safety improvement program.

    Find out more
    Quad bike safety rebate

    It takes just four easy steps to claim a rebate.

    Find out more
    Farm vehicle pre-purchase checklist

    Use this checklist to make sure you get the right vehicle for your farm.

    Find out more
    Quad bike safety poster

    This poster will remind you what you need to know about quad bike safety.

    Find out more
    Back to top
    • Safety starts here
      • Safety overview
        • First aid in the workplace
        • Emergency plans
        • If you get injured at work poster
        • Mandatory injury register
        • When an incident occurs
        • Health and safety training in the workplace
        • Workers compensation insurance
        • Return to work program
      • Safety support
        • Your rights and responsibilities for health and safety
        • Training & orienting workers
        • Getting workers to contribute to health and safety
        • Managing risk in the workplace
        • Workplace inspections
        • Investigating and reporting incidents
        • Supervisors
      • Building a health & safety culture
        • Building a high performing health &safety culture
        • Active health & safety management
        • Planning for health & safety
        • Leadership & commitment
      • Consultation@work
        • Your duty to consult
        • Consultation case studies and videos
        • Workgroups
        • Safety committees
        • Health and safety representatives
        • Safety complaints
        • Resolving issues
        • Consultation tools to help
        • Entry permits
      • Physical safety at work (the basics)
        • Emergency plans
        • Facilities at work
        • Instruction and training
        • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
        • Pregnancy
        • Sedentary work
        • Violence
        • Bushfire smoke
      • Mental health & safety (the basics)
        • Alcohol and other drugs
        • At risk workers
        • Mental health @ work
        • Workplace stress
        • Workplace bullying
      • SeasonalSAFE
    • Your industry
      • Accommodation and food services
        • Hospitality
      • Administrative and support services
      • Agriculture, forestry and fishing
        • Plant nurseries
        • Farming
      • Arts and recreation services
      • Building and construction
        • House construction
        • Construction work
        • Demolition
      • Education and training
      • Financial and insurance services
      • Health care and social assistance
      • Information media and telecommunications
      • Manufacturing
        • Leading safer manufacturing workplaces
      • Personal care and other services
      • Public administration and safety
      • Rental, hiring and real estate services
      • Retail trade
      • Transport, postal and warehousing
      • Wholesale trade
    • Advice & resources
      • Campaigns
        • SafeWork NSW Awards
        • Dust strategy
        • International Day of Mourning
        • Asbestos awareness
        • Mentoring program
        • Safe Work Month
      • Free advisory visits and workshops
      • Rebate programs
        • Small business rebate
      • Video library
      • Incident animations
      • Online safety webinars
      • SafeWork Wrap newsletter
      • Translated resources
        • Arabic health and safety resources
        • Chinese health and safety resources
        • Filipino health and safety resources
        • French health and safety resources
        • German health and safety resources
        • Hindi health and safety resources
        • Korean health and safety resources
        • Malay health and safety resources
        • Nepali health and safety resources
        • Thai health and safety resources
        • Vietnamese health and safety resources
    • Legal obligations
      • Employer and business obligations
        • Directors and officers
        • Due diligence
        • Primary duty of care
        • Duty to consult
        • Register of injuries
        • Injuries at work
        • Return to work programs
        • Managing hazards and risks
      • Worker obligations
      • Medical practitioner's obligation to notify of a disease
        • Notification of silicosis diagnosis
        • Notification of an asbestosis diagnosis
      • Diversity
      • Visitor obligations
      • Contractors and labour hire
      • Volunteering
      • Strata title and body corporate
      • Legislation
    • Notify SafeWork
      • Incident notification
      • Asbestos notifications
      • Blasting notifications
      • Carcinogenic substances notification
      • Demolition notifications
      • Fireworks displays notifications
      • Hazardous chemicals notifications
      • Lead notifications
    • Compliance & prosecutions
      • Incident information releases
      • Improvement, prohibition and penalty notices
      • SafeWork inspectors
      • Enforceable undertakings
      • Prosecutions
      • Deed of agreement
      • Contact our Legal Services
      • Joint Taskforce: Food Delivery Rider Safety
    • Licences & registrations
      • Licences
        • Evidence of identity
        • Regularly check licences
        • Asbestos work licences
        • Demolition licences
        • Explosives and fireworks licences
        • High risk work licences
        • Traffic Control Work Training
      • Plant registrations
        • Plant item registration
        • Plant design registration
        • Cancelling plant registration
        • Changes to registration documents
      • Registered training organisations (RTOs)
        • How to become an approved RTO to deliver asbestos training
        • General construction induction RTOs
        • High risk work RTOs
        • HSR training providers
        • Traffic controller training
      • White cards
    • Resources
      • Hazards A-Z
      • Resource library
      • Risk radar
      • Speak Up Save Lives
    Community
    • Events
    • Accessibility
    • Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
    • Order a Publication
    • Subscribe to the SafeWork Wrap
    Legal
    • Privacy
    • Right to Information
    • Terms
    • Disclaimer
    • Copyright
    Related sites
    • SIRA (workers compensation)
    • SafeWork Awards
    • TestSafe
    • Get healthy at work
    • Centre for WHS
    • icare

    Contact

    Contact us 13 10 50

    Follow us

    • facebook
    • instagram
    • twitter
    • youtbue
    • linkedin
    Send us your feedback

    Follow us

    • facebook
    • instagram
    • twitter
    • youtbue
    • linkedin
    • Sitemap
    • nsw.gov.au
    • Ministerial media releases

    A division of the Department of Customer Service

    NSW SafeWorks logo NSW SafeWorks NSW SafeWorks logo NSW SafeWorks