Quad Bike Injuries & Driveway Run Overs: Are your children at risk?

Summer is an exciting time for Kiwi families. With the cold winter months a fading memory, parents are eager to get the kids out of the house.

Summer however is also known as the “Trauma Season” due to the sharp rise in hospital admissions for unintentional injuries or accidents. The season brings with it a number of injury risks, and they include Quad Bike/ATV injuries and Driveway Run Overs.

National figures gathered by Starship Children’s Health shows that 2 children are killed on average and a further 29 others are hospitalised due to quad bike related injuries each year. In 53% of the cases, children were identified as the drivers of an adult-sized quad bike (over 90cc).[1]

“Children are particularly vulnerable as they do not have the body size, weight, perception and co-ordination skills to actively ride these machines,” said Ann Weaver, Director of Safekids.

And according to Safekids, every two weeks a child is hospitalised with serious injuries after being run over on a private driveway in New Zealand. A further five children are killed annually on average.

“The children at risk of driveway run overs are aged between 1 and 3 years old. Sadly parents and close relatives are most often at the wheel,” Ms Weaver added. 

These injuries are however preventable. During the summer months, Safekids asks parents and caregivers to be vigilant and aware of the dangers to children associated with quad bikes and driveways.


WHAT YOU CAN DO: Quad Bike Injury Prevention

• Keep children under the age of 16 OFF adult-sized quad bikes. This safety message is supported by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, ACC, Safekids and quad bike manufacturers.
• Quad bikes/ATVs are machines - not toys.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Driveway Run Over Prevention
Watch for the warning signs of a risky driveway, and CHECK, SUPERVISE and SEPARATE.

The Warning Signs:
• A long driveway
• A driveway in a quiet road or cul-de-sac
• A driveway that also provides pedestrian access to house (no separate pedestrian pathway)
• A driveway leading to lots of parking– cars need to be moved around to make room or allow vehicles to leave
• No physical barrier (i.e. fence) between driveway and outdoor play area.

Check:
• Count the kids before you manoeuvre. Make sure they are belted safely in the car or in a safe place with an adult.
• Understand the blind zones around your car. Driveway run overs can happen driving forward and reversing.
• Don’t let children use driveways as play areas.

Supervise:
• Ensure that a responsible adult is actively supervising toddlers and young children.
• Late afternoon and early evening are particularly risky times. Special efforts are needed then to make sure toddlers and young children are safe.

Separate:
• Consider how to separate toddlers and young children from all areas used for driving. You might need to install a childproof gate at doors or exits that lead to driveways.
• Infants and toddlers should have safe, fenced play spaces.


For more information on Driveway Run Over prevention, visit www.mysafekids.org.nz/drivewayrunover.


[1] Kate Anson, et al. “ATV (quad bike) injuries in New Zealand children: their extent and severity,” The New Zealand Medical Journal, 2009.