Quad accident in Cala Pi: Female tourist injured, son left with scrapes

Quad accident in Cala Pi: Woman taken to hospital

On Saturday around noon, the peace in the narrow Betlem street in Cala Pi was abruptly interrupted: a rented quad left the roadway and overturned. A German tourist was so badly injured that rescuers transported her to the Clínica Rotger. Her son only suffered minor scrapes and stayed with the family.

The group reportedly consisted of four people — father and mother each rode a quad, the children sat on the vehicles. Apparently the mother lost control in a bend, slid over the roadside edge and collided with an obstacle. The quad toppled and overturned.

Rescue operation on site

Within a short time several emergency vehicles arrived: an ambulance, a logistics vehicle and an ambulance with extended life support (SVA). Paramedics treated the woman at the scene before she was stabilized and transported. Locals and other tourists had already gathered; some helped calm the children. "It looked worse than it ultimately was," said a neighbor who went to the road shortly after the accident.

The injuries were described as a facial trauma and a leg injury. The child avoided hospital treatment. The exact sequence of events is now being investigated by the Guardia Civil.

Why does this happen so often?

Quad bikes (ATVs) are popular as recreational vehicles: four wheels, wide stance, handlebar like a motorcycle. Nevertheless, many riders underestimate narrow streets and loose gravel edges. In Cala Pi the streets are narrow, often with little runoff and steep embankments beside the road — a single careless steering move is enough.

A small note to everyone who might rent such a vehicle in the future: helmet on, listen carefully to safety instructions, adjust speed to the road profile, and only take children in seats designated for them. The emergency number on Mallorca is 061 — when in doubt, better to call once too often.

We wish the injured woman a speedy recovery and hope this incident serves as a reminder of how quickly recreational fun can become dangerous. Those on vacation should respect the road and show a bit of humility toward technology.