The Queensland Government has unveiled new laws in response to the high rate of quad bike deaths and accidents.

Children under the age of eight will be banned from riding as passengers on quad bikes, while wearing helmets on roads and stock routes will be mandatory.

The new laws only apply to quad bikes with conditional registration operating on roadways.

Farm Safe Queensland's Jamie Cupples says it is a good starting point, but regulation would only address part of the problem.

“It's not like a traffic situation where you have road enforcement out there all the time out there, it's difficult to enforce this from a regulatory point of view on properties,” he said.

Mr Cupples said the new laws stayed away from contentious issues like mandatory roll bars or cages or restricting children from driving quad bikes.

“Some people would say they shouldn't be on there if they're under 16, others would say down to around 12 would probably be appropriate if they're riding an appropriately-sized bike,” Mr Cupples said.

“This [law] is talking about passengers so having two or maybe three or four children being doubled on the bike or sitting in a side-by-side vehicle unrestrained where they can be ejected.. They're saying if you're under eight years old, you shouldn't be on the thing.”