Latest news with #quadbikes
BBC News
16 hours ago
- BBC News
Five quad bikes stolen from Aberdeenshire farms
Police are appealing for information following the thefts of five quad bikes from Aberdeenshire farms. The vehicles were taken from sheds along the A97 road between Alford and Aberchirder between last Friday and Sunday. Officers believe a grey Ford Ranger pick-up was used to tow them away on a Scotland said the thefts had severely impacted the local farming community. Det Con Douglas Morrison said: "Inquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed anything to contact us."We also ask anyone with dashcam footage that could assist our inquiries to come forward."In a report in June, insurer NFU Mutual said while the overall cost of rural crime had fallen by 33% from 2023 to 2024, quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles remained a "top target" for said an estimated £2.7m-worth of the vehicles were stolen across the UK last year.
ABC News
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- ABC News
New study finds safety protection on quad bikes is driving down farm deaths
New research has found rollover and crush protection on quad bikes is leading to a reduction in farm deaths, particularly in Victoria. A preliminary report published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health examined whether mandatory rollover protection introduced in 2020–21 had improved safety. The lead author, honorary associate professor Tony Lower from AgHealth Australia, said the figures showed that fewer people were dying. "Of course, we'd like to see it at zero but, all being said, it is headed in the right direction, which is a really fantastic effort," Dr Lower said. The research shows that 161 people died in work-related quad bike deaths in Australia between 2001 and 2024, averaging seven fatal crashes a year. Nearly all deaths happened on farms and 65 per cent of them were the result of rollovers. The data shows that work-related quad bike deaths peaked in 2016–17, but dropped by 2024 after the new safety measures were introduced. "Rule changes like this can have significant outcomes on people's lives," Dr Lower said. "It's addressed a long-term issue with the stability of quad bikes and the potential if they do roll over to prevent crush and asphyxiation injuries." The figures revealed a significant reduction in work-related quad bike deaths and rollovers in Victoria in recent years. Deaths in Queensland also went down, but the numbers rose slightly in New South Wales. "In Victoria, there's been a larger requirement for enforcing the fitting of those operator protection devices," Dr Lower said. "They've also worked with farmers to ensure that things like helmets and the vehicles are in good maintenance. Felicity Richards, chairperson of Farmsafe Australia, said it was heartening to see a reduction "even if that is only small nationally". "We're really hopeful that quad bikes will ultimately follow that trajectory of tractors … with the introduction of rollover protection, there's been incredibly significant improvements in outcomes," Ms Richards said. Ms Richards said it would be interesting to see if further research could confirm that regulatory enforcement was making a difference. "Our focus has been on encouraging people to create a culture where they are doing things like always having (operator protection devices) on the bike, always assessing the terrain and the training of the person using it, and always wearing the helmet," she said. Dr Lower acknowledged that more research was needed into quad bike deaths since the safety changes, particularly around enforcement. "One of our recommendations is to actually look exactly at what Victoria's done, why it's worked, and look at that in more in depth," he said.
BBC News
27-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Wolverhampton's weed problem tackled by council quad bikes
City of Wolverhampton Council has decided to use quad bikes to tackle weeds and other unwanted vegetation. About 475 miles of the city's highways and footpaths have been targeted by the bikes, which allow council staff to spray herbicides more quickly and efficiently.A council spokesperson said using the vehicles reduced both time and costs as previously weed control had been undertaken by council staff on foot and by external contractors. In addition, the new method reduces the amount of herbicides used by up to 70% to minimise the impact on local wildlife, they said. Council staff will be using the quad bikes for about 20 weeks until September and once sprayed, the treatment can take up to 14 days to take Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services, said: "We know that weeds can make our city look untidy and unattractive, especially when they grow around pavements, block paved areas and footpaths."By using the quad bikes, we can better target the weed control. This will reduce costs and free up resources, helping us to spend money more effectively." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
