NEW REGULATIONS REQUIRING farmers and others who use quad bikes and all terrain vehicles (ATVs) to wear helmets and undergo safety training come into effect today.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said that the new law is the first of its kind in the European Union.

Under the law, anyone using either type of vehicle will have to wear a helmet while doing so as well as undergo compulsory training.

ATVs and quad bikes are increasingly used in farming and other areas such as airport work and forestry.

According to the HSA, there have been at least 12 deaths and a number of serious injuries in agriculture involving quad bikes over the past 13 years.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, HSA Senior Inspector for Farm Safety Pat Griffin said that too many lives “have been tragically lost in quad bike incidents”.

“Wearing a helmet and undergoing proper training has to be a basic requirement for any quad user,” he said.

Under the new regulations, helmets must have chin straps. Cyclist helmets or workplace hard hats are not acceptable.

“The wearing of helmets is a real, real problem and is probably the most important part of the solution,” Griffin said.

“Most of the fatalities and life-changing injuries are because of a head injury… It’s just not worth taking the chance.”