An 18-year-old British tourist is fighting for his life after the quad bike he was riding collided with a tourist bus on the popular Greek island of Zakynthos, also known as Zante. The incident occurred on Friday evening.
The teenager had been traveling on the quad bike with another passenger when the vehicle entered a main road from a side alley and was struck by a tourist bus. He was transported to Zakynthos General Hospital in serious condition. The second passenger on the quad bike sustained injuries but was not reported to be in serious condition.
An investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash is underway. This incident follows a separate, serious quad bike accident involving another British teenager on Zante last month.
In that June 15 incident, 18-year-old Alfie Moses sustained severe spinal injuries after crashing his quad bike. He was initially taken to Zakynthos General Hospital before being airlifted to Mediterraneo Hospital in Athens for further treatment. His mother reported that Alfie had suffered 12 fractured vertebrae, 11 broken ribs, a brain bleed, a punctured lung, a ruptured spleen, and a broken shoulder. His family is facing a potential medical bill of approximately £17,000 for his treatment and transport, with uncertainty about insurance coverage as quad bikes are reportedly excluded from their policy.
Alfie's mother expressed concerns about the safety standards surrounding quad bike rentals on the island, suggesting it is too easy for young individuals to access these vehicles. She stated that quad bikes can be rented for as little as 50 euros, a price point she believes encourages young tourists to rent them without fully understanding the risks. She described the machines as powerful and difficult to control, capable of reaching high speeds, and argued that young drivers may not be adequately prepared for the dangers of operating them on foreign roads.