USA Today: Amusement Park Risk Climbs
Consumer Product Safety Commission
July 31, 2000
The number of injuries from amusement park rides in America appears to be going up dramatically.
That's the conclusion of a new study.
The study, conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission, says amusement park rides sent more than 7,000 people to the hospital last year.
Dick Andrew/Lagoon Marketing director: "THE CHANCES OF AN ACCIDENT OCURRING AT AN AMUSEMENT PARK THAT WOULD REQUIRE A HOSPITAL VISIT IS ONE IN 85 MILLION."
But a new survey suggests the risk of injury has nearly doubled in the last three years .
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission amusement park rides sent 7,260 people to the emergency room in 1999.
That's up 12% from 1998 and a 95% leap from 1996.
Last year two people were killed in amusement park rides and dozens of others, injured. At Six Flags in Texas, 11 passengers became trapped underwater on a Roaring Rapids ride.
In Kansas City, 13 people were injured when six roller coaster riders derailed at Fun Park.
In Massachusetts, a water ride malfunctioned, trapping several people underneath a raft in two feet of water, long enough to send them to the hospital in critical condition.
Here in Utah, Lagoon authorities say their maintenance men and mechanics check the rides consistantly.
"THEY HAVE WRITTEN CHECK LISTS THEY HAVE TO APPROVE. WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH THOSE LISTS AND CHECKED THEM OFF THEY TURN THEM OVER TO ANOTHER. SO THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE SEPARATE INSPECTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE EVERY DAY."
And patrons at Lagoon are willing to take their chances.
Blane Walker/Idaho Falls: "IT SEEMS LIKE LAGOON IS SAFE. I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY PROBLEMS, I'M JUST HERE TO HAVE FUN, I'M PRETTY SURE WE'LL BE ALRIGHT."
Doug Knowles/Ogden: "WE FLY, WE GET INTO OUR CARS AND TAKE OUR CHANCES EVERY DAY. AT THIS POINT IN MY OPINION IT'S NOT ANY MORE DANGEROUS THAN DOING THAT."
