Text-only version
About General Safety
How safe are rides at U.S. amusement parks and carnivals?
How much control do you have over your own safety when you're on a ride?
How many accidents are caused by equipment failure?
What are some red flags that should make you re-think riding a certain ride?
Why is it important to find the ride that fits?
Are today's high acceleration rides more dangerous than slower rides?
Why is it important to take precautions like dressing properly, behaving courteously, and drinking/eating appropriately throughout the day?
Patrons should treat the machines and the people who operate them with due respect. Many types of ride-related injury can be prevented if patrons follow the rules and pay attention to what's going on around them.
- Long, loose hair, necklaces, and dangling strings on clothing should be avoided as they can get caught in the machinery. If that happens, the rider can be pulled into the machine.
- High heels and other non-walking shoes can increase the risk of trips and falls on unsteady surfaces, such as moving walkways or while trying to board a slow-moving car on a dark ride.
- Behaving courteously helps operators attend to their jobs by reducing conflict and distractions. Encouraging kids to be courteous can actually prevent accidents; it's harder for kids to be polite and misbehave at the same time.
- Staying well-hydrated is important, particularly for patrons who like high-acceleration rides. Frequent stops for water or soda keep your blood volume at normal levels, which can help guard against certain types of rare health interactions.
The industry blames most accidents on rider misconduct. Is this an accurate assessment?
About Child Safety
Are children at higher risk for injury on amusement rides?
What should parents know about choosing rides for children?
What safety lessons should parents teach children before visiting parks and carnivals?
When is it safe to let my child ride alone?
If my child is too short to ride alone, is it safe for him to ride with his older brother?
Who develops child safety standards for amusement rides?
About Data and Statistics
How many people are injured on U.S. amusement rides each year?
What is the most common cause of amusement ride accidents and injuries?
What are the most common types of injuries on go-karts, waterslides, and inflatables?
Where does Saferparks get its data and statistics?
Who generates the safety statistics quoted by the amusement park industry?
About Safety Oversight
What safety regulations apply to U.S. amusement rides?
What about the big parks like Disney World and Six Flags?
Who checks up on the carnivals that move around from place to place?
Why are amusement park rides exempt from federal safety oversight?
If signed into law, what would Congressman Markey's bill do?
If a park is already subject to state regulation, why is a federal layer of oversight important?
Why is it important that serious accidents be investigated by the government?
