Are roller coasters safe? A look at how to safely enjoy amusement park rides

With a fear-evoking name of the Fury 325, the popular Carowinds roller coaster ride is expected to terrify amusement parkgoers in the way all worthy roller coaster rides should. Riders anticipate a stomach-turning thrill when they get on the Fury 325, but they also expect to be on dependable, sturdy structure. Last week, that was not the case.

On July 1, staff at North Carolina’s Carowinds amusement park noticed a large crack in a support column of the Fury 325 roller coaster, which boasts a reputation for being the “tallest, fastest, longest giga coaster in North America,” according to the Carowinds’ official website.

According to an ongoing investigation by North Carolina’s Department of Labor, the crack was visible for up to 10 days before being reported.

“It looks like maybe six to 10 days prior, some pictures had been taken that shows the beginning of the crack, and then by obviously last Friday, the thing was completely severed,” Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The ride, which reaches a peak height of 325 feet and hits speeds of 95 mph, is currently shut down for repairs, reports AP News.

Less than a week later, a roller coaster ride at the Forest County Festival in Crandon, Wisconsin, left eight passengers trapped upside-down when it malfunctioned mid-air.

It took hours to safely remove all eight passengers safely from the ride, according to NPR. Some passengers reportedly passed out while suspended on the ride and one was taken to the hospital. All of the riders survived the incident.

Despite their inherit risks, roller coasters are a hallmark of summer. Roller coasters are equal parts terrifying and thrilling, making them the perfect fix for adrenaline rush-seeking individuals.

Personally, I’ve always been scared of the ones that make a vertical descent or turn upside-down, but I convince myself to stay in hourlong lines and strap in with a measly lap bar under the pretense the rides are structurally sound, well-maintained and therefore completely safe.

But is that true? Are roller coasters and amusement park rides safe? Here’s what you should know.

Roller coaster and amusement ride related deaths

A 2005 study published in the National Library of Medicine reported that between 1994 and 2004, there were 40 roller coaster-related deaths. Victims ranged from 7 to 77 years old and were killed in 39 separate incidents.

Fatalities had a variety of causes. “Eleven fatalities resulted from external causes related to injuries from falls or collisions. Eighteen people died from medical conditions that might have been caused or exacerbated by riding a roller coaster; 15 were the result of intracranial hemorrhages or cardiac problems,” according to the report.

Another study, conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital looked at amusement-ride related injuries in children and teens.

Researchers did not exclusively study fixed-site rides such as roller coasters — mobile rides found at carnivals and fairs, mall rides and arcade rides were also included. The study included rides such as bumper cars, carousels and traditional roller coasters.

The study revealed that between 1990 and 2010, 92,885 children in the U.S. were treated in hospital emergency departments for amusement ride-related injuries. During a typical year, between May and September , an average of 20 kids in the U.S. are treated in emergency departments for amusement ride-related injuries, the study reported.

Falling in, off, on or against the ride was the most common cause of injury, followed by hitting your body on the ride or getting hit by something while riding, catching a body part or clothing item in the ride, injuries caused by getting on or off the ride and being struck by a moving or stationary ride. The body parts most commonly injured were the head and neck. Bumps, bruises, sprains, strains, cuts and fractures were the most common injuries.

According to a 2005 study from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, inflatable rides — such as inflatable slides and bouncy houses — accounted for 4,900 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms between 1997-2004.

The chance of getting injured or killed on a roller coaster or amusement ride is still relatively slim. Most years, more than 385 million guests safely enjoy more than 1.7 billion rides in North America reports the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. The chance of getting seriously injured on a fixed-site ride in the U.S. is 1 in 15.4 million.

How are roller coasters regulated for safety?

It depends. At fixed-site amusement parks like Disneyland, states are responsible for inspections and regulations. Mobile amusement rides, like carnivals rides, are supervised by by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, reports NPR. States carry out routine inspections for fixed-site and mobile rides.

Guidelines for state inspections are set by the American Society for Testing and Materials. These guidelines apply to design, manufacture, installation, testing and operation.

“I think the regulators do a really good job of making sure that the rides that are being installed in their states are safe,” says Franceen Gonzales, who chairs the American Society for Testing and Materials, per NPR. “They stay safe by looking at them every single year, issuing those operating permits, making sure they can see the documentation of how those rides are being maintained and how they’re being inspected.”

Utah recently adopted a government-run amusement safety committee, which is overseen by the Utah Department of Transportation, reports KSL. Utah was one of just six state without government oversight for amusement safety.

The Utah board of Amusement Park Safety has six members who will oversee mobile ride operators, permanent ride operators, state fairs and large amusement parks such as Lagoon where each ride will go through a minimum of three safety checks every morning.

Roller coaster safety

To ensure the safest amusement ride safety, always follow the height, age, weight and health restrictions provided. Follow any special seating or loading instructions and always uses safety equipment, reports the Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

“There are very distinct guidelines on what you need to do to have a safe experience, and if people are purposely not following those guidelines, that that puts not only the rider at risk, but it puts other riders at risk,” said Jim Seay, president and owner of Premier Rides, which designs and manufactures attractions for the likes of SeaWorld, Universal Studios and Six Flags, per USA Today.

“I’m sure you’ve been on a ride where you go up and it says, ‘If you have the following conditions, you should not ride the ride,’” Seay continued. ”There’s obviously not a way for the park to medically check each person. ... The rider needs to look at those list of items and determine if the right is appropriate for them.”

When visiting amusement parks with children, if you do not think your child will follow safety guidelines, do not let them get on the ride. Finally, trust your instincts. If a ride appears poorly maintained or you have concerns about the safety of a ride, select a different activity.