Rising ATV fatalities prompt SafeWork SA warning

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Rising ATV Fatalities Prompt SafeWork SA Warning

SafeWork SA is warning about the hazards posed by all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), including quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles, following a significant increase in the number of fatalities reported over the last twelve months. This warning highlights a growing risk for farmers, contractors and anyone who relies on this type of transport plant across rural and regional properties.

Summary: What Happened

South Australia recorded five ATV-related deaths in 2024, the first fatalities of this kind since 2021. A sixth death occurred in early 2025, bringing renewed attention to quad bike safety and prompting SafeWork SA to issue a fresh community warning about these hazardous machines.

2024 Fatalities and Early 2025 Incident

The year 2024 witnessed five fatalities, the first in South Australia since 2021, according to SafeWork data. The onset of 2025 was marked by the death of a side-by-side vehicle (SSV) operator, who died after rolling his quad bike on a farming property in Tungkillo.

This latest incident has raised the total number of ATV-related fatalities in South Australia to 11 since 2011, underscoring just how hazardous this transport plant remains when operated without proper controls.

National Context: Australia-Wide Figures

In 2024, Australia recorded 19 fatalities involving quad bikes, according to Safe Work Australia figures. These numbers place South Australia's toll within a broader national trend, one that safety regulators across Australia continue monitoring closely as part of ongoing risk-reduction efforts.

SafeWork SA's Response

SafeWork SA Executive Director Glenn Farrell said the alarming rise in deaths among ATV users is a matter of great concern for both operators and the wider farming community. Farrell's comments reflect a broader push by SafeWork SA to strengthen safety awareness around mobile plant used on rural properties.

Why ATV Safety Matters for Employers

Quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles are common transport plant on farms, construction sites and remote worksites, but they carry real hazards when operators lack training or proper protective equipment. Employers have obligations under work health and safety laws to manage these risks, including:

• Providing rollover protection structures where practicable
• Ensuring operators wear helmets rated for ATV use
• Delivering proper training before staff use this plant unsupervised
• Assessing terrain and load conditions before each task
• Maintaining vehicles according to manufacturer specifications

Addressing these hazards directly reduces risk exposure and supports a safer working environment for everyone relying on ATV transport day to day.

Related Safety News and Resources

This warning follows a pattern of recent safety news from regulators nationwide. Readers may also find our coverage of SafeWork SA's farm safety warning following agricultural fatalities relevant, given the overlap between quad bike incidents and broader farm risk.

Similarly, our report on SafeWork NSW's warning on electrical work fatalities demonstrates how regulators across Australia are responding to rising incident numbers with targeted safety guidance. For plant-related concerns beyond ATVs, our piece on concrete placing equipment incidents prompting a SafeWork warning offers further insight into how mobile plant hazards affect worksite health outcomes.

Supporting Documentation for Employers

Businesses operating quad bikes or side-by-side vehicles can strengthen their safety systems with purpose-built documentation. Our ATV Standard Operating Procedure template outlines safe operating steps for this plant, while the ATV and Quad Bikes SWMS template helps employers document risk controls for tasks involving this transport plant on-site.

For further details on this incident, click here.

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