Father’s quad bike modifications blamed for fatal crash
A teenager’s death in a tragic quad bike crash was blamed on wheel nuts installed incorrectly by his father, a coroner has found.
Modifications to the bike were made two weeks before the 16-year-old died in rural Tasmania in 2023, a reminder of the do-it-yourself risk of maintenance.
The body of the unnamed boy was found on a gravel forest road with one of the rear wheels of the red Honda no longer attached.
The cause of death was the improper installation of aftermarket rear wheels, one of which failed, coroner Simon Cooper said in findings published on Tuesday.
Mr Cooper said the boy, who did not have a licence, lost control after the wheel came off, following an investigation which revealed the nuts used to secure the rear wheels were tapered rather than straight.
“Tragically, the aftermarket rims were purchased from eBay and fitted by (the child’s) father just two weeks before his death,” he said.
“(His father) told investigators that he was aware that the nuts he used to attach the rims to the hubs were not the correct nuts, but he felt they were satisfactory for the job.
“Obviously they weren’t.”
Mr Cooper said the wheels had to be used with an additional separate hub to lock the rims in place, but there was nothing on the purchasing website to indicate this was a requirement.
It was observed that the child was not wearing the helmet correctly, which was found a few meters away from his body.
Since 2011, 234 people have died in quad bike crashes across Australia; they are one of the leading causes of death or injury on farms.
SafeWork Australia recommends that children under 16 should never ride adult quad bikes; businesses may face criminal charges if they do this in workplace settings.
Mr Cooper said ATVs were inherently dangerous vehicles and children should never ride them.
The boy was seen by several witnesses riding his bike “a little too fast” and on public streets on the day of his death, even though the bike was not registered.
Mr Cooper did not make any formal recommendations but said it was important to use only the right nuts to secure quad bike wheels.
He said people should make sure parts bought online are fit for purpose and that no one should fit wheels to quad bikes without the appropriate experience, expertise or qualifications.
