Coroner says off-road racing needs stronger fire safety rules

Following a fatal off-road racing crash that occurred in 2022, a coroner is recommending stronger fire safety measures for vehicles and competitors. On September 4, Gerald Hoekstra and Ede Taric were participating in the Desert Enduro Race in north-west Victoria when Hoekstra lost control, crashed into a tree, and the vehicle rolled, engulfed in flames.

Despite two other teams attempting to extinguish the fire, both men died from the fire. Coroner Ingrid Giles found that the men survived the initial crash but succumbed to the flames as the fire rapidly spread. Giles provided three recommendations to improve safety in off-road racing events, including requiring plumbed-in fire extinguisher systems, mandating self-extrication testing for competitors within 10 seconds, and developing clearer guidelines for firefighting equipment at event paddocks.

The incident led MSA to mandate reflux valves, ban protruding structures, and double the required capacity for hand-held fire extinguishers, but Giles believes the three-year roll-out period for plumbed-in systems still poses risks.