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Roller Coaster Accidents: They Happen
The day my daughter was at Cedar Point amusement park at a band competition, one of the rollercoaster trains of the Magnum XL-200 roller coaster ran into the back of another one at the station. It didn't stop all the way, but this was barely a fender bender. The thing was going only 10 miles an hour. Still, two people were treated for injuries and one had an asthma attack.
Last year, a month after my daughter was at Kings Island with her middle school sports teams, the roller coaster Son of a Beast had a mishap when it abruptly stopped near the station. Then more than 12 people were hurt. Turns out, there was a broken timber.
How often do roller coaster accidents happen, I wonder? I love them and have learned the art of holding my neck with one hand while holding onto the safety bar with the other to keep from jarring my head with every turn. I found a couple resources that list rollercoaster accidents and their causes. RideAccidents.com lists rollercoaster fatalities and their causes between 1972-1997. Another, Theme Park Insider also keeps track. Because of the accidents, there is a bill, the National Amusement Park Ride Safety Act in the works that would restore the jurisdiction of Consumer Product Safety Commission over fixed amusement park rides, but it hasn't passed.
For the most, though, part roller coaster accidents happen because the riders make a mistake and not because the ride fails. Whew! My daughter heads to Kings Island this coming Saturday.
Filed under: Business, Festivals and Events, Stories
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
blondee Jun 3rd 2007 7:11PM
Schiz is totally and completely correct!i no a lot of people tht are afraid to take any risks whatsoever...they dont listen to me when i try to lighten up their lives. I always follow the saying: "the brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all"
TXDMV Jun 3rd 2007 7:33PM
No offense... but please let me know when your daughter plans to go to another amusment park so that I am not at the same one when she is there... her track, no pun intended, record is not very good, I must say for accident mishaps while she is there.
joy Jun 3rd 2007 8:08PM
I don't know about other parks, but I worked in maintenance at Disney for 14yrs. I can tell you that the accidents were due to the cut backs (manpower, pay cuts, and parts to do repairs) in maintenance and the lack of desire to do a good job, because of the way employees are treated. There were rides that I would not get on, because I knew of the maintenance issues on those rides.
suzanne Jun 3rd 2007 8:37PM
First of all, you can not compare amusement park rides with the rides you find at a fair or carnival. One is completely different from the other. amusement parks have plenty of rules and regulations to follow, i'm not sure the same can be said of the fair and carnival rides. i work at a southern california amusement park-not disney- and we have an impeccable safety record, but yes accidents do happen. Not always due to the rider, but it is usually the case. you just have to know your limits. if you can't physically handle the ride, don't go on it.
katie Jun 4th 2007 1:01AM
Jeez, people. Most of the accidents that occur are from stupid people who don't buckle their seatbelts. It's not the ride's fault some idiot stood up and cracked his head on a beam. You can die so much more easily doing other things than riding a coaster. Like eating the deep-fried funnel cake BEFORE going on said coaster!
elinda Doak Jun 4th 2007 1:01AM
Do not like to take the chance on those rides, and accidents do happen. Sometimes the owers get lazy and do not do a safety check. Just one accident, can not be reversed to give that person back their happy life. Asthmatic lungs freezes when terrified or a sudden jolt would cause it, foolish to take a child on one, or go yourself.
Matthew Jun 30th 2007 10:14AM
I LOVE rollercoasters.. I go on every rollercoaster i see at any park. the last thing i am worried about is that im going to get hurt on the ride... you shouldnt be afraid of roller coasters.. it's a one in a million chance..
walker77 Aug 10th 2007 11:46AM
Interesting...
I am a mechanic at a fairly large park. I believe that the maintenance program is impeccable. Attention to detail is outstanding. The quality control program insures guidelines and procedures are being followed. The coaster trains come off line, and are completely overhauled every year. Daily inspections take place, and parts are changed when needed. certifications are required for each inspection and overhaul. There was never an instance when a part didn't changed because of budget. I would ride any one of our attractions.
I don't think I would ever get on a carnival ride though!
heather Aug 14th 2007 1:51PM
geez where are the parents with this? I mean a six year old,eight year olds and nine year olds? Why aren't they with them.
Kyle Sep 29th 2007 7:47PM
accidents happen. more people die from toaters each year than roller accidents.
kimi Nov 13th 2007 9:11PM
I wasn't there but my mom was. the accident happen at
Six Flags in illinois. a roller coster ''the Edge'' It went up fine, until it came down to go to the station. It flew off the track and killed the passagers automatically . The car landed in the six flags music studio. And injured many people.
Mitchell Francmone Jan 7th 2008 11:03PM
I don't think rollercoasters are dangerous because all my life I haven't seen one accident. I always go to Cedar Point and I love rollercoasters and I've been on the Magnum alot. I think there should be more workers down at Cedar Point on each rollercoaster.