Safety Overview

Amusement parks and traveling carnivals offer an exciting escape from everyday life, but thrill rides must be used with care. You can help prevent amusement ride accidents by learning how the rides work and how to use them safely.

• Take Safety Seriously
  The odds of injury on an amusement ride are low, but don't let statistics lull you into a la-la-land attitude about your own safety. A single accident is one too many when it happens to you or your child. Visit the Safety Tips section for advice.
• Respect the Forces.
  Amusement rides expose a broad variety of human beings to extremes of position, velocity, acceleration, and jerk.  Learn more about the physics of ride safety by visiting the Acceleration page.
• Follow the Rules and Stay Alert.
  Most amusement ride injuries can be prevented if you know what to watch out for. Visit the Injuries section to learn about the common and not-so-common types of accidents on amusement rides, waterpark attractions, go-karts, and other amusement devices.
• Learn About the Risk Factors So You Can Avoid Them.
  Amusement rides are not all created equal.  Each ride type presents different risk factors to different groups of people. For more information, visit the Risk Factors section.
• Use Extra Caution with Children and Other Vulnerable Riders.
  For more information visit the Child Safety section and the pages on Age and Health and Riders With Disabilities.