Amusement Rides are Dangerous 

By: Hadley Ehlers 

“Rides at the Ekka (State Fair) – taken from Bowen Bridge Road, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia-3” by David Jackmanson

Amusement rides have a large history of being dangerous. There are lots of people who love roller coasters and amusement rides, because of the entertainment and community there is, but few take precautions when going to them. Some parks end in disaster, such as a ride breaks, or one hurts or seriously injures someone. Fairs are so much fun but I think a lot more people should be more careful when going to them. This can include paying close attention to the amusement parks rules, and being courteous of those around you. 

The first reason people should take precautions when riding amusement rides is so that self-inflicted injuries can be avoided. In the summer of 2017, Tyler Jarrel was killed during the Ohio State Fair when a piece of the Fire Ball ride broke off, his seat was then thrown and the row of seats appeared to be smashed into a support beam. In another incident at the Ohio State Fair, Jennifer Lambert died due to liver failure after encountering a traumatic brain injury in the accident. It is so important that everyone takes precautions when going to fairs and festivals that have amusement rides so that incidents like this can be further avoided. 

Another reason that people should take precautions when riding amusement rides, is because of the accidents that could happen when the operators don’t take good enough care of the rides. In 1984, a fire broke out in a walk-through attraction, and 8 teen-agers died in the Haunted Castle ride at Six Flags in New Jersey. The workers at the amusement parks should’ve made routine inspections to the park and the rides, but sadly it wasn’t enough and ended the lives of innocent people. And in the summer of 2011, James Hackemer fell from the Ride of Steel at Six Flags in New York, along with a US Army veteran who was a double amputee. He was seated in the front due to his earlier accident, and he fell from the car. This is why it is incredibly important to be aware of what can happen at amusement parks and fairs, and be prepared for if something were to actually happen to you one day. In the spring of 2022, a 14-year-old boy fell from the Orlando FreeFall, and died. According to Far and Wide, he fell because of a locking malfunction, and it is still being investigated. The safety of everyone is put at risk when riding amusement park rides, with the risk of injuries or fatal accidents. 

Attraction failures can be caused by operator negligence, passenger misuse, mechanical failure and much more. Roughly 375 million people go to amusement parks each year. While fatal accidents are rare, there are roughly 30,000 amusement park-related injuries yearly. It is important that we go to amusement parks and fairs being aware of the risks, but also being prepared to follow the rules in order to keep everyone safe.