Published: 13 September 2016
Author: Stringer Clark Injury Law team

Apply for timely quad bike safety rebate today

The team at Stringer Clark urge all Victorian farmers to take advantage of the announcement made on 1 September 2016 designed to offer a safer quad bike alternate vehicle.

Farmers in Victoria purchasing operator protection devices (OPDs) to replace their quad bikes will be eligible for rebates of up to $1200 to help reduce quad bike related fatalities.

Quad bikes have been the number one killer on farms in recent times - and we see these cases too often in our firm.

This scheme presents a unique and excellent opportunity for farmers to safeguard themselves and their loved ones.

Twenty-two people were killed by quad bikes related incidents in 2015, which makes it the leading cause of death across Australian farms for the past five years.

Farmers replacing their quad bike with a Quadbar or ATV Lifeguard OPDs are eligible for the rebate. Purchases from 1 September 2016 onward are eligible, however applications cannot be lodged until 1 October 2016.

Who supports the quad bike safety rebate scheme?

The Victorian Farmers Federation will administer the Quad Bike Safety Rebate Scheme, which is an initiative of the Victorian Government and WorkSafe Victoria. 

It is expected that 5000 plus farmers will be delivered rebates as part of the $6 million scheme scheduled to run over the next two years. Meanwhile, farmers are being encouraged to make an early application to improve the chances of being approved for the scheme.

Be quad safe 

According to Victorian Farmers Federation, eligible farmers can apply for a rebate for agricultural purposes and apply to either:

  • $1200 to buy an alternate vehicle such as a side-by-side vehicle (SSV) or a small utility vehicle (SUV). The alternate vehicle must be designed for use in agriculture and at point of sale have rollover protection and a fitted seatbelt. Sports vehicles and small commercial vehicles, such as utes, are excluded.
  • Up to $600 for the purchase of an OPD (or $1200 for two OPDs). The OPD must have been designed and manufactured in line with approved engineering standards and independently tested to be eligible for the rebate. There are currently two OPD devices that meet these criteria and are eligible for the rebate. They are the Quadbar™ and the ATV Lifeguard.

Additional information on farmer eligibility for the scheme is available at www.bequadsafe.com.au.

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