In the run up to Christmas the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána in Ireland have launched a new public awareness campaign to highlight the dangers quad bikes and scramblers pose to children.

They are warning parents not to buy them as gifts as latest RSA figures show three of the six people who died in Ireland between 2014 to 2019 in an incident involving a quad bike or scrambler were aged 18 or under.

The statistics also reveal 41 percent of the 60 people injured in collisions during the same period were also aged 18 or under.

“Every Christmas, quad bikes and scramblers are given as presents, sometimes to very young children, so it’s important people are informed of the risks,” said Ms. Liz O’Donnell, RSA Chairperson.

“These machines are not toys. They are intended to be driven by people in a supervised and controlled environment. However, in the hands of inexperienced and often unsupervised children in public places, they are a serious danger.”

An Garda Síochána is also reminding the public that it is an offence for these vehicles to be used in public places such as parks and public areas.

More information on quad bikes is available on the Road Safety Authority website.