7-yr-old killed riding quad bike ON UNLIT ROAD AFTER DARK!!!

[WendyWeber]

What were they thinking of???

what a tragic event but what a stupid reckless oversight by the father to let his children ride on a main road at night, when it'd be hugely risky for an adult used to quad bikes to do (ie. they are so much lower than a Range Rover, out of line of vision).

unfortunately, things like driving licenses and insurance and minimum driving age exist for a reason.

we live on a country road, and it's hard enough to see what's coming when it's dark out when you're sober as a judge.

yeah, it's one thing not to take them straight to A&E after they fall in the playground, but after a car hits them?!

yes, totally agree - wonder if the dad was possibly over the limit and wanted to avoid police etc...? just a thought.

If only they had taken her to hospital. Now they will never know if she could have survived.

so crazy they didn't take her, can't think anyone would fail to do so!

agree, spidermama

But spidermama, if other parents can learn from this, then surely the discussion (and subsequent apportioning of blame) is relevant??

I dont think anyone is heartless to the plight of the parents, just that they were clearly in the wrong and that they paid the worse possible price

...and as for not taking the child to a&e?? unbelievable
She was hit by a range rover ffs - surely it would be far more unlikely for her not to be hurt?????

I read it in the paper today.

I have a seven year old and an eight year old and cannot imagine thinking that a quad bike would be a suitable present for either of them, let alone encourage them to ride at night on a country road. Country roads are amongst the most dangerous because visibility is often an issue and roads that are not used that much often have fast cars on them. Behind their parents car and on a bike the children probably wouldn't have either seen or heard the oncoming car, and the car probably didn't see them either. I would be very careful about taking my children for a walk at night down the country roads I know (not saying I wouldn't do it, because I have and will again I am sure - I'm just very cautious about cars - always keep one ear open IFSWIM). After only a day I think it unlikely the children had that much control over the bikes (I wonder how fast they were going?) and I bet they were messing around together (being children). All very sad and very avoidable.

Spidermama - the report I read said that the road was very busy and notorious for having divers speed along it, using it as a rat run from Chelsmford. In photos it looks windy, too, which creates poor visibility in the dark.

Also, reports on the BBC said the bikes were 100cc, and a link below says "Manufacturers say bikes under 70cc are suitable for 6 year olds and older, and those from 70cc to 90cc are suitable for 12 year olds and older."

I am sure that the parents cannot feel more grief and anquish than they now feel - so prosecution won't make it worse fro them.

But it sends a signal to other people who make decisions irrespective of the law.

And QOQ: "I suppose I'm also an idiot for spending the entire 3 weeks traveling round the country without car seats for the DSs when we arrived and discovered that the 2 car seats which should have been available from the car hire company had failed to appear........". Yes, I agree with you.

How much do those quad bikes cost?
Am I the only one who thought it was an odd present for a 7-year-old?

The ones those children had cost £1200 each.

Blimey!

I thought this accident took place on a main road.

I think it was almost single track, wasn't it? I hadn't realised until today that the father was in a car in front, not on a quad bike too. Madness.

We live on the outskirts of a town and I used to rent land to keep horses. My boys have had various powered wheeled 'toys' over the years. A friend's son aged 11 has a restricted 125cc motorbike that they all ride under supervision in a paddock.

Never in a million years would I allow them out on the road in daylight let alone at night.

I used to help out on a friend's farm and we drove small tractors and old bangers around. However, we only drove them in the fields, would never have been allowed anywhere near a road. We were also a lot older than this girl. I don't think my friends had been permitted to drive anything when they were that little - their parents were very strict about safety because farm machinery, stacks of hay bales etc. etc. can be bloody dangerous.

Yes, farm children do generally learn to drive tractors and quad bikes and even cars at an early age; but always off-road.

My kids have had friends under 17 who lived a couple of miles up a farm track and have had use of a car to drive down to the gate to catch the school bus, and then drive home again after school.

But they are not seven years old, and they do not drive on the road under any circs.