Vol. 545 No. 1
252 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will introduce a requirement for safety frames to be added to quad bikes in order to reduce the risk of fatality or serious injury involved in the use of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29625/01]
Directive 92/61/EEC relating to the type approval of two or three-wheeled motor vehicles intended to travel on the road lays down requirements and standards applicable to certain new vehicles including quadricycles. These are designed, inter alia, to support road safety. The requirements do not include the fitting of safety frames to any of the vehicles in question and under EU law member sates are not free to introduce requirements additional to those in the directive. While the above directive will soon be replaced, I understand that the new EU regime will still not provide for mandatory fitting of safety frames to these vehicles. The directive does not apply to machines intended for agricultural or similar purposes.
I understand that a leaflet that deals with the safe use of all-terrain vehicles in agriculture and forestry has been prepared by the Health and Safety Authority. Among the topics to be covered in the leaflet are training in the safe use of the machines and advice on roll-over protection and seatbelts.
