Man Jumps Off Roller Coaster
A dude in Arizona narrowly avoided a potentially fatal accident on the Desert Storm roller coaster at Castles N’ Coasters in Phoenix. As the ride went up, he heard an unusual click and discovered his lap bar had unlatched (everyone’s nightmare, right?). Reacting swiftly, he got the hell out of his seat and moved to the emergency staircase just before a significant drop (there’s video of it…see below). The ride operator reportedly chastised him, saying, “I told you to check it.” (yep, put it on the customer…cause that always works) The man filed a complaint and received a refund but expressed concerns about the park’s safety protocols. In case you’re wondering, Arizona mandates annual ride inspections but lacks comprehensive statewide amusement park regulations.
Why Did He Jump off the Roller Coaster?
Here’s a news story breaking it down for us:
So how dangerous are roller coasters? I took some time to look up stats for it (not trying to freak anyone out btw):
- Injury Estimates: In 2019, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported approximately 1,299 injuries from amusement park accidents, which include roller coasters. This equates to about 3.7 injuries per 1 million visitors. BMW Law Group
- Fatalities: Historically, from 1987 to 2000, there were an estimated 4.5 amusement ride-related deaths per year in the U.S. Wikipedia A study focusing on roller coasters between 1994 and 2004 identified 40 fatalities over a decade, averaging four deaths annually. Injury Prevention
- Injury Rates per Ride: Data from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) indicates that in 2019, there were approximately 449 injuries related to roller coasters, translating to about 1.3 injuries per 1 million patron rides. BMW Law Group
Is this going to keep you from going on a roller coaster? Not me. Here’s a great way to look at it: “Life is like a roller coaster. You can either scream every time there is a bump, or you can throw your hands up and enjoy the ride.”
