Are Theme Park Rides Safe?

On Tuesday 29th June 2010 one of the worst and deadliest theme park accidents of modern times, killed six people and injured 10, after the ride, that had 44 people on it, plunged 50ft in Shenzen, China. This has left questions about whether theme park rides are really that safe.

The Space Journey, a simulator ride, operates by lifting up and spinning eleven pod like cabins, each one carrying four passengers. According to witnesses, whilst spinning at high speeds one of the pods collided with some of the other cabins. This caused the pods to drop 50ft and ejecting some of the passengers on board. Other people standing by said they saw smoke and smelt burning, as the power to the ride was shut off. This ride was the first simulated space ride that was made in China, that allowed passengers to feel 2G  acceleration, similar to that of gravity. The park has been partly closed, whilst exact causes of the accident are found.

This news comes just a day after a fair ground worker was killed in Utah whilst disassembling a Ferris Wheel. In the last twenty years, 12 people have been killed whilst assembling or disassembling a Ferris Wheel. This is quite shocking i think, just on Ferris Wheels, think of all the other types of fairground and theme park rides there are.

Image via Wikipedia

On the 23rd of June another carnival worker lost his leg after being hit by the train of a roller coaster in California. On the same day a 9 year old boy drowned at a Quebec water park. On the 19th of June, a woman was killed after she plummeted 30ft from a roller coaster, dying instantly. The safety restraints for the ride broke or opened during the ride. Finally, in the UK in May 5 people were left dangling upside down, 50 ft up in the air for at least 20 minutes. Luckily nobody was injured at this incident.

I named a few from around the world because i wanted you to see that it is everywhere around the world that has poor safety regulations and restraints for these rides. From the UK to the USA to China to Brazil, there are accidents happening all the time. That is not saying that every fairground or theme park ride is dangerous but three incidents have happened just this week, and personally that has shocked me, let alone anyone else. I am one to go on rides, but after this i may not be so keen to do so.

It would be great to read your opinions on rides as i am sure we all have varying views.

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