With many sales of children’s motorbikes, mini motos and quad bikes occurring through social media pages this Christmas, the Pembrokeshire Community Safety Team of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service would like to circulate the following information and advice:

A "Quad bike" is recognised by UK law as a vehicle with four wheels and a mass of less than 550 kg. To drive a quad bike on a public road, in the UK, requires a B1 license as well as tax, insurance and registration.

Mini motos or Mopeds – On road

Rider must be 16

Wear an approved crash helmet

Have a valid driving licence

Road Tax

Insurance

Vehicle registration

MOT certificate

Off road - The only place it is legal to ride off road on a mini motorbike is on private land with the landowner’s permission. There have been cases where the landowner has been prosecuted following motorbike accidents on their sites, even when they had not given permission to ride.

There have been several tragic cases, in the UK and overseas, of children being killed or seriously injured while riding quad bikes or mini-motos

Brake – the road safety charity

To prevent further tragedies, the road safety charity Brake recommends a law banning children from riding mini-motorbikes or trail bikes, and a law restricting quad bike use to older children on certified tracks.

Brake strongly advises against children being put in control of these vehicles in any circumstances. Children should also not be carried as passengers - many of these vehicles are not designed to carry passengers at all, and even those that can become harder to control with a passenger on board.

Watch Manager Jeremy Trew, Pembrokeshire Community Safety said,

“It can be often tempting for parents to purchase these machines for their children as they can be found very cheaply on local swap-shop sites or selling pages. However, they are powerful machines and can reach speeds of up to 60mph making them extremely dangerous in the hands of children or adolescents”

Therefore, if you are going to or have already bought your child a Quad or a Mini-moto, please ensure that you put all safety measures in place such as:

Ensuring they have all necessary protective clothing and an approved helmet

Ensuring that they are using that machine within the boundaries of the law as outlined above.

Ensuring that they are always supervised by a responsible adult and never alone when using the machine.

Enrol with a local club if available

Watch a clip about Rebekah Glass and her story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28940463

Station Manager Neil Evans, Road Safety & Community Safety Projects Manager urges all quad and mini motos drivers to heed the Fatal 5.

“Quad bikes and mini motos are not toys. They are recognised by law as vehicles and therefore must abide by the Fatal 5. Don’t drink and drive; kill your speed; don’t get careless; belt up and switch off your mobile phone.

There is absolutely no excuse for driving irresponsibly; If you have a tendency of running late, make an effort to leave earlier. If there is a problem with your vehicle, get it checked. If you are driving under harsh weather conditions, then adjust your speed. If you don’t know the road, drive vigilantly. Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Remember, there is no excuse not to drive cautiously. We do not want anyone to end up as another statistic; we want you to drive to arrive.”

Watch Manager Nicola Thomas also urged drivers to ensure that their vehicles are safe for winter driving.

“Over the last couples of weeks we have experienced fluctuating temperatures, from below freezing to the warmest temperatures recorded during December for decades. We urge drivers not to get complacent and heed the following advice.

Slow down and keep a greater distance between yourself and the vehicle in front, increase the 2 second rule to 4 seconds or even more.

Set aside extra time to complete your journey. Winter driving conditions can be very difficult, yet with a little care and prior planning, it is possible to minimise the risk and maximise safety for you, your passengers and other road users.”

Driving tips

Follow these tips for safe winter driving:

• Keep your mobile fully charged.

• Pack a snow/ice scraper, de-icer, snow shovel, hat, gloves, boots, a torch, bottle of water and a first aid kit. For longer journeys, you should take blankets, a snack and a flask of warm drink.

• Wash the car frequently to get rid of the salt and dirt that builds up over the winter.

• Always keep a full tank of fuel - you never know when you might get delayed.

• Don’t use water to defrost the windows.

• On colder days be particularly careful on tree lined roads - the trees prevent the sun’s warmth from reaching the road, which may still be icy when all around has thawed.

For more information, please visit the MAWWFRS Road Safety Page on our website http://www.mawwfire.gov.uk/English/Safety/On-The-Road/Pages/Our-Road-Safety-Strategy.aspx