ATV safety device gets green light

In response to the increasing number of fatalities on farms as a result of quad bike rollovers, Far North Queensland resident Colin Lawson has come up with his own solution – an alarm installed on ATVs that sounds when the machine is near tipping point.

The backyard tinkerer and quad bike adventurer submitted his idea to the 'Advance Queensland Ignite Ideas Fund', which is an initiative by the Queensland Government to encourage small businesses to bring innovative new products and services to the market.

Colin's patent-pending product, along with a wireless virtual reality technology by Brisbane-based company Immersive Robotics, are the first two projects to have received about $100,000 each to take their products to the next level.

According to Lawson, the 'ATV Angle Alarm' is activated when an ATV approaches its maximum tipping angle, hence alerting the driver and allowing them to take preventative measures to avoid an accident.

According to a report by the ABC, the alarm system constitutes a small box hard-wired to the ATV, with a dual-axis inclinometer installed.

"It tells the computer inside where the bike is in relation to the Earth's surface — it's measuring tilt, both forwards and backwards," Lawson said.

The alarm can also be pre-set to suit different ATV models.

Lawson says the alarm could make a significant difference, especially in rural communities where quads are the largest cause of fatalities.

"Our ultimate aim is to prevent quad fatalities in the rural sector and reduce Australia’s ATV fatality rate from rollovers," Lawson says. "There are currently no other similar identified devices on the market that provide an effective preventative measure against rollover accidents. Therefore commercialisation of the device in a timely manner is imperative."

Lawson hopes his product will create a safer work environment for rural Australians, and his long-term goal is for councils and governments to fully embrace his technology to the extent that it's fitted to all farm-based quad bikes sold in Australia, New Zealand and America.

A total of 39 applicants were successful in the first round of the Ignite Ideas program, representing a funding commitment of $5.65 million. The second round of applications will open on September 12, 2016.