THREE OF THE four people who were killed in incidents involving quad bikes or scramblers in recent years were aged 18 or under, new figures reveal.

The provisional figures were published today by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), who along with the gardaí are appealing to parents not to gift them to their children this Christmas. 

The figures show that between 2014 and 2017 there were 39 people killed or injured in collisions involving a quad bike or scrambler on a public road.

A total of 16 of these people (41%) were aged 18 years or under. Four people died in the incidents in this period, with three of the people killed aged 18 or under. 

The RSA and the gardaí have launched a new public awareness campaign to highlight the dangers posed by quad bikes and scramblers. 

Transport Minister Shane Ross said that the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes was a “public safety issue across Ireland and we can see the disastrous impact this can have on families and the wider community”.

“The repercussions of anti-social behaviour arising from the use of these vehicles can be very serious resulting in injuries and fatalities.

That is why my Department is working with the Department of Justice and Equality, An Garda Síochána and the RSA to urgently address this issue.

Also commenting, Moyagh Murdock, CEO of the RSA said that quad bikes and scramblers were “not toys”.

“They are intended to be driven by people who firstly inform themselves of the risk they pose and who are aware of the need for care particularly when driving on uneven ground,” she said.

“Scramblers are also a big problem in the hands of inexperienced and mostly unsupervised children, who are riding them around housing estates, local parks and on the public road, often with no protective clothing whatsoever.

If you’re planning to gift a quad bike or scrambler this Christmas, please reconsider. If it’s the thought that counts, please think again.