Amusement parks are intended to be places of summer fun, but for some people they become locations where life-altering injuries occur. These venues of entertainment and high excitement welcome around 270 million visitors each year, and during these years there are statistics compiled that amusement park owners would rather keep to themselves.

Amusement Park Injuries & Fatalities

Every year there are a number of people that are seriously or fatally injured at amusement parks all over the world. Some of these numbers are:

• 7,000 – The annual number of people who visit an emergency room each year after being injured at an amusement park
• 4-5 – The annual number of people who are fatally injured while visiting an amusement park
• 75% – The percentage of children that make up amusement park injury totals

Most Common Causes for Amusement Park Accidents

Many people think injuries that occur at amusement parks are the result of visitors failing to follow safety rules, but there are other causes that are found to be just as, if not more, common, including:

• Mechanical Failure – This occurs when something vital to the operation of the ride fails due to improper maintenance
• Operator Error – This is commonly the cause of injuries when operators are improperly trained or are negligent in their duties to operate the ride in a safe manner
• Design Defect – This cause often results in the most serious injuries because it involves a portion of the ride being unsafe regardless of what park staff do to maintain the ride or operate it safely

Most Dangerous Rides

While every ride at an amusement park can be dangerous if not maintained or operated properly, there are a few rides that have resulted in the most injuries or deaths between the years of 1987 and 2000.

Roller Coasters – Roller coasters have been attributed to 16 deaths over the course of the above-mentioned years, making them the most dangerous

Whirling Rides – Whirling rides have been the cause of 11 deaths over the same span of time, making them a close second as most dangerous

Seemingly Safe Rides

Even rides that are traditionally viewed as being safe can be a danger to visitors. There are even cases of children being fatally injured while riding on merry go rounds. Deaths such as these showcase the care that visitors must take when visiting amusement parks since negligence due to maintenance or operation puts everyone in danger and often results in injured visitors suing the park in order to receive compensation.

Get a Lawyer Today

If you have been injured at a theme park, then it’s essential that you reach out to an attorney today! This allows your attorney to gather the evidence and build a compelling case. Schedule your free case review today by calling 713.766.5400.

*Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net