Are amusement park rides safe?

Yes

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by Michael Hunter

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My answer to this question always has been and will continue to be a resounding, Yes, until I am given good reason and evidence to say otherwise. Of course my answer should also be taken with the understanding that I operated complex roller coasters, fairly simple kids rides and everything in between for two summers at Cedar Point. My knowledge of the safety of the rides that millions trust their lives on every year, is based not only on statistics (which can be manipulated), but also on first hand experience and a decent mechanical knowledge of the rides.

I suppose that a few simple statistics would give some good starting ground for facts and illustrations, so that is where I will start. According to Consumer Products Safety Commission, between 1987-2004, they reported 46 fixed-site ride related non-occupational deaths. For comparison, a rough average attendance figure for Cedar Point alone is around 3 million. Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom has been drawing more than 10 million visitors annually for several years now. It is much more likely for you to die in a car crash on your way to the park to enjoy your day at a park, than you are to die while enjoying a ride on a roller coaster or other ride at the park. But the issue is more than just statistics; it is also about the safety systems in place and even the design of the rides themselves, that make them some of the safest machines in the world.

The almost universal restraint system in place on most amusement rides is a combination of a lap bar (either a lap bar or over-the-shoulder restraint) and a seat belt. The lap bar is the primary safety measure, the seat belt is secondary, a fail-safe if you will. In many instances the seat belt will actually buckle to the lap bar or over-the-shoulder restraint (OSTR from now on). Even though seat belts are usually a secondary restraint, you must use both when both are provided! Lap bars are primarily used on roller coasters that do not go upside down, while OTSR are used on rides that to go upside down. However, if you go back to the days of the first modern roller coaster to feature a vertical loop, it had a lap bar and was perfectly safe.

There are two basic kinds of lap bars. The traditional ratcheting restraint that makes audible clicks as you lower it and a hydraulic restraint system that operates silently, can fit a wider range of bodies and is also technically safer than the traditional ratcheting lap bar. The ratcheting lap bar is a simple mechanism, though one that has proven itself to be very safe over the life of its use on roller coasters. It is in its simplest form, a ratchet with a limited range of movement that the designer of the ride/vehicle, has determined to be safe. This is also a large part of how minimum height requirements are determined.

Hydraulic restraints are a little more complex to explain, but are also generally more secure, since they must be released by a specific electrical current. These restraints of course, operate on the same principal as any other hydraulic device; liquids cannot be compressed. In simplest terms, the hydraulic fluid flows through a pair of valves; a one-way valve and a two way valve, that is controlled by an electrical solenoid between the top and bottom of the cylinder, as it is forced by the piston. The need for the electrical solenoid to open the two way valve, is more secure than a simple mechanical release, as well as an almost automatic release of the restraint. Hydraulics are really much more complicated and hydraulic restraints are no less complex. If you would like a more thorough explanation of how they work on Top Thrill Dragster specifically, this is a great article to read.

When it comes to the designs of the rides themselves, they are designed to be as safe as possible for riders in good health. Good health is important, because quite a large majority of injuries and deaths are related to riders who had a pre-existing medical condition, and in some cases knew they should not be riding. If you have serious back or heart problems, then a high level thrill ride is generally not a good option for you, and the parks go to great lengths to inform you of this. In addition to riders who are not healthy, disregard for common sense and rules in general, account for most of the remaining accidents. There is a very good reason there are signs and you are told to not stand up on the ride. If you are standing up, then you have really escaped the restraints, and are now at the mercy of pure physics.

So the conclusion is this: amusement park rides are inherently safe by design and added intent. However, rider error and disregard for rules and warnings, account for a large majority of injuries and deaths. While there have been several instances of mechanical failure on rides, they are not the majority of causes for injury. You are much safer than you think you are while enjoying the rides at an amusement park, so please, enjoy them to the fullest extent.

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