The Queensland government has launched a statewide plan for improving quad bike safety.

It follows more than 1500 quad bike-related hospitalisations over five years in the State.

Quad bikes have played a role in the deaths of 69 people in Queensland in the past 15 years, accounting for nearly one third of all quad bike fatalities nationally.

One in every five of those fatalities involve children under 16 years old.

Queensland Minister for Industrial Relations Grace Grace said the statistics are statistics are unacceptable.

“But we’re determined to turn things around, and that’s what our statewide quad bike safety plan is all about.”

Ms Grace said the Queensland now had one of the most rigorous quad bike safety plans in the country.

“The plan has been developed with input from ten government agencies, and in consultation with industry associations,” she said.

“It seeks to create a safety culture through education and awareness as the immediate first step toward improving safety outcomes for quad bike users and their passengers.

“It also makes improving rider skill a priority, to ensure that Government leads the way in cutting quad bike injuries and fatalities in this state.”

Ms Grace said the State Government would launch a public awareness campaign later in 2016 as part of its efforts cut Queensland’s quad bike toll.

The Statewide Plan for Improving Quad Bike Safety in Queensland can be downloaded from worksafe.qld.gov.au.