Rides can mean thrills, spills and worse

Part of the thrill of stepping onto a roller coaster or other ride at an amusement park is that you’re flirting with danger.

Even so, you probably assume that even the scariest ride is safe. And you’re probably right. But some riders die at amusement parks and carnivals across America and around the world every year.

The number isn’t high—studies based on agency and industry reports show an average of about four deaths annually in the U.S. But when deaths occur at amusement parks, they make headlines.

This summer, a 17-year-old was decapitated after he climbed two fences in a restricted area and was hit by a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia near Atlanta.

While “a couple” of riders were injured at Maryland theme parks last year, there were no fatalities, according to Craig Lowry, deputy commissioner of the Maryland Division of Labor and Industry, which oversees inspection of amusement park rides. Maryland is among the 40 states that regulate such rides, which are exempt from federal inspection.

Last summer, after a 13-year-old girl’s feet were severed by a snapped cable on a tower-type ride at a Six Flags park in Louisville, Ky., the Six Flags America park in Largo, Md., temporarily shut down its Tower of Doom. Both rides were made by the same Swiss company, and the Kentucky ride had been inspected less than three months before the accident, a state official told the Associated Press.

The Maryland ride reopened without incident after an inspection.

Last October, 12 riders at Six Flags America received medical care, including two at a hospital, after a roller coaster’s hydraulic line broke.

What can people do to seek compensation in cases like this?

An attorney can investigate to see if grounds exist for a lawsuit, said Vadim Mzhen, who practices personal-injury law with Lebowitz & Mzhen in Owings Mills. You might sue the park if it was negligent in operating the ride, or the manufacturer if the ride had an inherent design flaw.

The waiver on the back of park tickets doesn’t exempt the park from blame, Mzhen said, but proof that an injury occurred because of negligence must exist.

Unlike in many states, no compensation must be paid in Maryland if the victim is at all to blame for the injury, Mzhen said.

According to Sarah Gmyr, a spokeswoman for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, 85 percent of injuries occur “because the rider didn’t abide by the posted rules or rider guidelines.”

The association offers these tips:

Observe all posted safety rules.

Keep hands, arms, legs and feet inside the ride at all times.

Stay seated until the ride comes to a complete stop and you are instructed to exit.

Follow all instructions given by ride operators or in recorded announcements.

Always use the provided safety equipment. Never try to wriggle free of restraints or other safety devices.

Parents should make sure their young children understand safe and appropriate ride behavior.

Never force children to go on a ride.

If you see unsafe behavior or conditions, immediately tell a supervisor.

To report concerns or violations, contact the Maryland Amusement Ride Safety Inspection Unit at 410-767-2990. {EXA}

Marilyn Millstone is a freelance writer based in Kensington, Md.