A heart-wrenching warning from a Peterborough mum is sending shockwaves through UK holiday communities after her 18-year-old son suffered life-threatening injuries in a quad bike crash on Zante's sun-kissed beaches.
Alfie Moses, on his first holiday with friends, was rushed to hospital on June 15th with a fractured spine, broken ribs, a ruptured spleen, a punctured lung, and a bleed on the brain. His mother, Kayley Posnett, described the devastating moment she received the news, stating she 'burst into tears and fell to the ground'.
The family's ordeal was compounded by the revelation that Alfie's travel insurance policy did not cover quad bike accidents – a common exclusion many holidaymakers may be unaware of. A GoFundMe page raised £40,000 to cover his specialist flight from Athens back to Peterborough City Hospital, where he remains on a stretcher.
Travel association ABTA has echoed Ms Posnett's concerns, urging young people to 'think twice' before renting quad bikes due to the high risk of 'very serious accidents'. A spokesperson clarified that while quad bikes may seem like fun, they're powerful machines with few insurance policies covering accidents. They advised travellers to always check policy details in advance, especially for activities like quad biking.
Alfie's family awaits news on potential back surgery and the long-term implications of the brain bleed, with his mother continuing to stress the dangers. A nurse in Greece described quad bike injuries as 'like a pandemic there every year', highlighting the risks of these vehicles, which are often 'so cheap and easy to rent, but they're so dangerous'.
As UK travellers consider renting quad bikes abroad, it's essential to understand the risks and insurance implications. Standard travel insurance policies rarely cover quad biking, and separate activity-specific cover may be required at an additional cost. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises exercising extreme caution and wearing appropriate safety gear.