Teen flown to hospital after crashing quad bike in Coomrith

In brief: A teenager was airlifted to hospital with pelvic injuries after crashing a quad bike at Coomrith in southwest Queensland on Sunday afternoon, with news of the rescue confirmed by the LifeFlight helicopter crew.

What happened at Coomrith

Emergency responders were tasked to the property at about 6.55pm.

The patient suffered pelvic injuries and was attended to by paramedics.

He was flown to Roma Airport before being taken to Roma Hospital by Queensland ambulance paramedics.

Read the original news article here.

Why this news matters beyond one rural community

Rollovers injure riders of every age across farms, stations and lifestyle blocks. Safe Work Australia identifies quad bikes among the deadliest mobile plant used in agriculture, and each season brings news of another serious rider injury.

Pelvic, spinal and crush trauma dominate that injury picture, because a tipping machine traps whoever is on board. Retrieval times stretch much further in remote country, which explains why aeromedical missions feature so often in regional news bulletins.

Terrain, speed and rider experience

Three factors drive most incidents on rural land:

• Ground: loose gravel, hidden ruts, steep gradients and wet conditions cut traction without warning.
• Speed: braking distances grow sharply across slopes, corrugations and creek crossings.
• Experience: younger operators on adult-sized machines cannot shift their body weight enough to keep all four wheels planted.

Work health and safety duties on rural properties

Farm operators carry the same primary duty of care as any other business. Practical controls that protect riders include:

• Matching each machine, plus its load rating, to the task at hand
• Fitting an operator protection device where the manufacturer permits one
• Helmets, sturdy boots and eye protection worn on every trip
• Written training records for anybody who takes the keys
• Keeping under-16s off adult-sized machines entirely
• Mapping hazards such as washouts, stumps, fence lines and dams

Documenting those measures also demonstrates health and safety compliance should a regulator investigate.

More quad bike safety news from our blog

• Rider airlifted when quad bike hits tree
• Helicopter retrieval for a rider injured in the state's south-east
• Man airlifted following quad bike crash

Turn hazards into documented controls

Reading about a serious incident is one thing; proving you manage the risk is another. Our ATV – Quad Bikes SWMS template sets out hazards, risk ratings and controls for utility vehicle operation, ready to edit in Word or print as PDF.

Properties recovering from flooding face compounded dangers on tracks, gullies and crossings. Download the free Cleaning after Flood & Storm SWMS to cover debris removal alongside vehicle movement.

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