Just found this on the BBC News website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/7161165.stm

IMO 7 year olds should not be allowed to drive quad bikes at all. In fact, if I go down that line, I think they should be banned totally, various incidents have shown that they're not safe.

The 7 year old was involved in a head-on collision with a Range Rover, so what hope did she have of survival? Totally ridiculous that they're still allowed if you ask me.

Where have the parents of the 7 year old been ?

I wouldn't let my daughter drive a quad-bike on public road, and even if so, I would look after her.

I think the quads aren't the problem, the problem are the parents, allowing her child to drive on a public road with it.

That's like saying oh bikes should be banned,it wasn't the quad that killed her infact it was her parents who left her drive on a public road at the age of 7

come on

Quads can be save like any other form of bike if used and driven with care still would of happened if she was on a push bike.

The machines themselfs are not the problem, its the parents who buy them for their children then allow them to roam free on the roads with them. Why not ban Range Rovers or drug taking drunk wasters while they are at it?

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

The machines themselfs are not the problem, its the parents who buy them for their children then allow them to roam free on the roads with them. Why not ban Range Rovers or drug taking drunk wasters while they are at it?

+1

People are so fast blaming technology.
I know it sounds terrible but the parents are the cause of there poor little daughter's death

The accident happened at 7pm so it would have been pitch black (and there don't appear to be any street lights, since it's a country lane...). Surely the range and quad would have had lights on them, couldn't the girl and range driver see that? Anyway, from the report it looks like the range rover driver wasn't fit to be driving, but obviously the girl shouldn't have been driving the quad on the road. A sad accident.

And it states the driver of the Range Rover was drunk and under influence. So I wouldn't even attack the parents at that. For all there is known at this moment, the kid could have been driving safely and correct on the road. But the drunk driver made an error (beside getting in the car in the first place). Maybe she was driving on the wrong side of the road, who knows!
And everyone can loose a kid out of sight for just a second, if the kid then happens to jump on a quad bike, you really can't stop it, can you? And a kid is still a kid, you can't keep your eye on it 24/7.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

The machines themselfs are not the problem

I'd say they actually are...
and I mean not those slow farmer type quads...I mean sports quadbikes...they are extremely tricky to handle when at the limit, and you find out where the limit is only when you break your neck...

Quads are dangerous...they should have special licenses for those things...

Quote from squidhead :

I'd say they actually are...
and I mean not those slow farmer type quads...I mean sports quadbikes...they are extremely tricky to handle when at the limit, and you find out where the limit is only when you break your neck...

Quads are dangerous...they should have special licenses for those things...

Its pretty much common knowledge that quad bikes are a bit mental and not at all safe. I'm sure when you buy one there are a few million safety warnings on it. So why on earth would you buy your child a quad bike?! Perhaps the parents were too busy working, or making more children to look after the one they had.

In this day and age too much blame is put onto objects and events, what happened to blaming the stupid people? I tripped on a step...Labour party response "my god, we must paint all steps bright yellow and put signs up warning people of the tripping hazard!" normal persons reponse "look where your walking you tit".

Quote from sgt.flippy :

And it states the driver of the Range Rover was drunk and under influence. So I wouldn't even attack the parents at that. For all there is known at this moment, the kid could have been driving safely and correct on the road.

First of all the kid shouldn't be on any public road driving a quad, it's illegal as a) she isn't old enough b) has no license c) has no insurance.

We've had a few toys, quads etc and never would my parents let us roam free on them. We'd go in a empty field and use them. For parents to let their kid take the quad onto a public road is just insase .

To let a kid use a quad unsupervised again is just stupid, even if they were using it correctly if they did have an accident who would help them? A 7 year old isn't going to life a quad off themselves.

It's as bad as the parents who know their kids are roaming about the streets on mini motos... and just let them do it.

Guess you're right, I don't really know those bikes, so I thought the kid could have started it herself and just took off with it.

Banning never solves anything intelligent way, it is like hitting with blunt object, stiletto would be so much better

Requiring license that would not be too easy to get, where one actually had to show how well he can control thing and how resposible he can be on traffic, that would be much better way.

Quote from JTbo :

Banning never solves anything intelligent way, it is like hitting with blunt object, stiletto would be so much better

Requiring license that would not be too easy to get, where one actually had to show how well he can control thing and how resposible he can be on traffic, that would be much better way.

When your 17, you can buy a quad, pass a test to get your license, buy some insurance and road tax and hit the road...All legally.

The problem is when parents decide to give them to young kids and let them loose on the streets. They should be used on private ground only and under parental supervision.

Quote from Bean0 :

When your 17, you can buy a quad, pass a test to get your license, buy some insurance and road tax and hit the road...All legally.

The problem is when parents decide to give them to young kids and let them loose on the streets. They should be used on private ground only and under parental supervision.

I don't think test for 17 years old is enough challenging.

If some parents are failing to do their duty, would it be better to ban kids from them than banning nice toys from majority?

A seven year old, a drunk and a dark country lane is asking for trouble. Neither should have been in control of a vehicle on a public road. It's unfortunate but it doesn't mean quad bikes are dangerous when used appropriately, unfortuntley the fact they are so easy to drive but no safer than a bike means you do get some stupid people who do silly things and hurt themselves on them but that's life

how'd happen in the first place? most 7 year olds can't even properly handle a tricycle...

Quote from sgt.flippy :

And it states the driver of the Range Rover was drunk and under influence. So I wouldn't even attack the parents at that. For all there is known at this moment, the kid could have been driving safely and correct on the road. But the drunk driver made an error (beside getting in the car in the first place). Maybe she was driving on the wrong side of the road, who knows!
And everyone can loose a kid out of sight for just a second, if the kid then happens to jump on a quad bike, you really can't stop it, can you? And a kid is still a kid, you can't keep your eye on it 24/7.

The girl shouldn't have been on the roads in the first place, motorised vehicles up to 50cc require by law that you're 16 and hold a licence to ride them on public roads. She was 7, which most probably means it was one of those stupid minimoto things which are all void of lights as they are not made to be used on roads.

Agreed the driver was suspected of driving under the influence, but if the little girl was on a quad on the roads at night void of lights, being under the influence or not doesn't come into it, you're going to hit that child.

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

Agreed the driver was suspected of driving under the influence, but if the little girl was on a quad on the roads at night void of lights, being under the influence or not doesn't come into it, you're going to hit that child.

This is very true, but I'm also thinking that if driver was under influence his insurance won't cover anything and court will make judgement with emotional bases, which is sad

Even I would prefer that everyone that drives under influence would be without car rest of his/her life.

Quote from ATHome :

I think the quads aren't the problem, the problem are the parents, allowing her child to drive on a public road with it.

agree... some parents think its safe, or they simply dont care

A 7 year old? Seriously? Where do people get the sense that it's safe for a 7 year old to ride a quad-bike? Ridiculous.

A sad story indeed.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

I'm sure when you buy one there are a few million safety warnings on it. So why on earth would you buy your child a quad bike?!

I definetly wouldn't.... more on that, I wouldn't want one myself... I hired one of theese and walked away in an hour with a broken arm and a concussion (sp?)

but I really think that people don't read the warning signs, since they are pretty much sure in their safety...
nobody even reads the agreement you sign everytime you hire a go-cart, I read it, and the first thing that it said was "Driving a go cart might be fun, but if you will drive it recklessly you have a high chances of getting injured or killed"
I had a laugh when I saw a guy being pulled out of the tire stacks by his feet screaming he's going to sue...

My motto is 'always assume its going to kill you' which is why I am cautious around bunny rabbits.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

My motto is 'always assume its going to kill you' which is why I am cautious around bunny rabbits.

Yeah, those things should have health and safety warning labels on them

Quote from squidhead :

Yeah, those things should have health and safety warning labels on them

*when around, do not act like a carrot*

Its ok I carry a Holy Hand Grenade with me...

This story was on the news yesterday, apparently the father was in his car with his 10 year old son and 7 year old daughter following him on their new quad bikes.