Helmet 'would have saved' dead Qld boy THE father of a Queensland boy who died after falling off a modified ride-on mower says he believes a helmet would have saved his son's life. Jake Garrett-Pratt, 12, lost control of the mower when a rear axle chain broke while he rode down a steep driveway on his mother and step-father's rural property near Gympie in March last year. An inquest on Wednesday was told Jake was not wearing a helmet or any safety gear when he was thrown through a barbed wire fence, landing in a neighbour's property. Jake died in hospital from serious head injuries about two weeks after the fall, the Coroner's court in Brisbane was told. One focus of the inquest was the increasing popularity of ride-on mower racing and safety guidelines, however Counsel Assisting the Coroner Peter De Waard says there's so suggestion Jake was racing. Mr De Waard said Jake's mother and step-father's decision to let him drive unsupervised was "unsound" but he did not believe it was an indictable offence. He said Jake would have survived if he had been riding on flat ground. The tragedy could have also been avoided if the mower had been properly maintained, he added. Mr De Waard said Jake's stepfather has testified in a statement that no mechanical inspections had been carried out on the 27-year-old mower purchased from Jake's best friend only eight days before the accident. The boy's father, Cameron Pratt, says Jake's mother and stepfather had a duty of care in ensuring he wore a helmet and that the modifications were up to safety standards. "My personal belief is if he was wearing a helmet he may be here today," Mr Pratt told reporters outside the court. I'm hoping a parent or parents in the same situation who have a ride-on, that they do the correct modifications that are in place with ride-on racing. Plus they have a duty of care to make sure that child is wearing a helmet. He said he would not take legal action. Coroner John Lock is due to hand down his findings on Friday.