Ninety-four per cent of all new quad bikes sold in Australia comply with increased safety standards, Australia's consumer watchdog has said.
The Australian Composition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said compliance was up from 84 per cent last year.
The safety regulations, which came into effect in October last year, apply to all imported new and second-hand vehicles.
Under the standard, quad bikes need to meet stability guidelines and come fitted with rollover protection.
They also need warning stickers about the degree of slope at which they overturn, and come with owner's manual that includes rollover safety information.
In 2018, the ACCC lobbied for tougher standards, and in 2019 the federal government introduced new safety regulations, with the first stage coming into effect in October 2020.
It came as deaths from all-terrain vehicle (ATV) users reached record levels, with 23 people killed and another 50 injured riding quad bikes that year.
So far in 2022, there have been nine quad-bike fatalities according to Safe Work Australia.
Watchdog says improved compliance a win
ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said he was happy to see improved compliance.
"It shows that manufacturers and dealers are taking their obligations seriously," Mr Keogh said.
"And have co-operated with our investigations, taking steps to fix problems when necessary.
"We don't want to see anyone hurt or killed while riding a quad bike, so we are urging Australians to heed the safety advice."
Mr Keogh also said where retailers or manufacturers were found not to be meeting the new safety rules, it had a low impact.
"Where we found non-compliance, it was largely due to quad bikes being displayed at the point of sale without age warning labels, rollover warning labels, lateral roll stability tags or owner manuals," he said.
However, the ACCC is investigating several instances where serious breaches were discovered, including with safety of rollover protection devices.
Second-hand ATVs not included
The ATV safety rules have been controversial with quad sales booming before the 2020 deadline, while six major brands have quit the Australian market.
The rules only apply to quad bikes sold new, purchased either from a dealer or direct from the manufacturer.
This means many bikes sold second-hand do not meet the new safety standards.
