Farm Safety Week – Important Safety Tips for riding your Quad

It is now estimated that there are over 10,000 Quads in use on Irish Farms and with this increase, the amount of Quad related accidents and fatalities have also increased in recent years.  Unfortunately due to the high speeds that these vehicles can reach and the lack of protection if they overturn, they can cause considerable injuries to the driver and safety is such a huge concern.

As Robert Kee Power Equipment are one of the main dealers of Honda Quads  in Ireland we would like to highlight the importance of safety whilst operating a quad.  The causes of these accidents are usually involving some of the following points:

• Excessive Speed
• Carrying passengers or overloading the vehicle
• Poor Maintenance of Quad
• Steep Slopes combined with poor ground conditions

By following our recommendations for safe use of your quad this should limit your risk of having an accident and being properly protected and limiting your injuries if you are unfortunate to have one.

Training
Correct training is the most important thing that must be given before anyone is operating an ATV, our sales team will go over all aspects of the quad with you prior to leaving our showroom.  No Children under the age of 16 are legally allowed to drive a Quad and proper training must be given to any users over this age.

 PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
It is reported that more than half of all Quad users have been thrown off at some time.  There is no roll bar, so head protection is vital if you are to have any chance.  The appropriate PPE that Honda Ireland recommends include:

• A Helmet and Glasses
• Long Sleeve Jacket
• Gloves
• Boots

Passengers
Quad’s are for single use only, DO NOT carry any passengers.  The long seat is for operator’s to shift their body weight backwards and forwards for different slope conditions, not for carrying passengers.  You should never carry a passenger in a trailer behind a Quad, as any movement can make the Quad unstable, especially at speed.

Maintenance
Off-road driving is hard on your quad so always ensure that is well looked after and all essential maintenance work is carried out to the manufacturer’s recommendations.  Before riding always do a pre-ride safety check on your quad walking around it and checking, Tyre pressure, throttle and brakes, chassis/driveshafts and oil and fuel.

Off-Road Only
Most Quads are for off-road use only and should not be used on public roadways.  If a quad is legally specified for road use, it should be taxed and insured correctly to comply with the rules of the road.

This week 16th -20th July is Farm Safety Week and the Irish Farmer’s Association will be highlighting all the good practice’s that are in place within the farming industry in Ireland, they will also be highlighting child safety this year.  Farm Accidents are on the increase and have claimed the lives of 23 children in the last decade and account for 11% of all farm fatalities over that period so Farm Safety Week is such an important event to highlight this, especially at this time of year when children may be spending more time on family farms during the school holidays and with it being such a busy time for farmers everyone has to be extra vigilant and ensure safety measures are always carried out to prevent any accidents happening.

The important message to get across to people is to ensure you are well protected, carry out a safety check on your vehicle before use  and take care and drive responsibly when riding in any conditions.

In conjunction with IFA – Irish Farmer’s Association we are offering 10% off all Quad Helmets and also Chainsaw Safety Equipment ordered or purchased instore or online this week from 16th – 20th July 2018.

We have Safety leaflets instore provided to us by Honda Ireland if you would like any to keep at your farm for a reminder to users then please contact our marketing department and we can send them onto you.