Quad Bike Riding Safety
It’s not too difficult to believe that quad bike riding can actually be considered dangerous. Yes, it is fun, and yes, you should enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience, but the reality is that a quad bike can be life-threatening. The last recorded study for quad bike riding accidents that left people being admitted to hospital took place in 2002 in England, where over 4500 people were hospitalised as a result of quad bike riding accidents in one year alone. No other study has taken place since then, but what is immediately concerning is that the quad bike can lead to horrendous injury or death when not driven properly.
This means that, at Hollybrooke Adventure Farm, quad bike riding safety becomes our number one priority during trails. The standards we set are to ensure that first-and-foremost everyone gets back to the farm safely, before our second goal of ensuring a fun ride. We have had thousands of guests come to the farm and enjoy our quad bikes, with minimal incidents of accident. So how do we ensure your safety during quad bike riding? Here are a few rules and measures that we employ:
Minimise Speed
When riding quad bikes, there is a simple rule that excessive speed leads to more & larger accidents. By speed limiting a quad bike you will prevent high top speeds. Also ensure that speeding is kept to a minimum, especially for new riders, during a quad trail. Believe us: for new riders, or even for those that have ridden a quad bike a couple of times, 30 - 40 km/h is more than fast enough on an open straight road. Being in the open air and on the bike makes it feel like you’re travelling 100 km/h. If the trail is entertaining enough, there is little need for (high) speed.
No Kids Allowed
On private property, and for entertainment purposes, there is no legal age limit for driving a quad bike. However, as a tour guide operator, we cannot legally allow anyone under the age of 16 years drive our quad bikes. Regardless, it is true that most fatal accidents on quad bikes involve minors. This is because children are still developing their hand-eye coordination, and their bodies are not strong enough to withstand the impact of a quad bike accident. For this reason, we urge people to reconsider buying quad bikes for their children.
Safety Gear
Yip, safety gear is always important when riding a quad bike, as with any other adventure sport. Legally, helmets are not a requirement, and sometimes an ill-fitting helmet worn by a novice can actually cause accidents as the driver is more concerned with the helmet than the road in front of them. However, most fatal injuries are experienced with head trauma, which speaks volumes. What is often forgotten by novices, though, is that comfortable activewear and closed shoes ARE required when quad bike riding. Also, make sure that you have safety goggles or glasses to prevent dust from getting in your eyes. Not only can it cause lasting damage, but it can prevent you from seeing hazards while driving the quad.
Professional Guidance
If it is your first few times driving a quad bike, it really should be done alongside an experienced guide who can teach you how to ride the quad bike properly (much like learning to drive a car). Our guides have had many years of quad biking experience, so they are more than able to tell you how to correctly handle this vehicle. However, if you are quad biking elsewhere, then make sure that you only climb on the quad bike after receiving an instructional from someone who knows how to ride a quad bike safely. It doesn’t help if your ‘experienced’ guide is a daredevil themselves. Much like driving any vehicle, or undertaking any new sport or hobby, practice means experience, and experience means confidence. So take it easy if this is your first time on a quad bike.
We hope that this has opened your eyes to the dangers of quad bike riding. Quad biking is a great thrill, and a lot of fun, and it can continue to be fun even when done safely. If you want to go on a mindblowing, thrilling, safe quad bike tour, then don’t hesitate - visit our quad bike riding page here.