Quad bike safety checks for farms

Farms across Scotland face unannounced safety checks in a bid to cut the number of quad bike accidents.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will carry out visits in the Borders, East Lothian, Fife, Perthshire, Angus and Stirlingshire.

It says it wants to try to prevent "avoidable injuries and deaths" involving such vehicles.

Inspectors will be checking quad bikes are being used and maintained correctly between 7 and 18 June.

The HSE said every year an average of two people were killed and more than 1,000 injured in accidents involving quad bikes or all-terrain vehicles.

HSE inspector, Gillian McLean, said: "More than half of all quad bike riders have been thrown from their vehicle at some point, so it is vital that farmers ensure all their workers wear helmets, are properly trained and that all bikes are well maintained.

"Nobody who has died from head injuries after falling off a quad bike was wearing a helmet.

"Helmets would certainly have prevented most, if not all, the deaths caused by quad bike accidents - simple safety precautions can save lives."