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Amusement Park Survival Guide

How to have amusement park fun and avoid injury.

By Sarah Albert
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Mishaps at amusement parks may put some nagging doubts into the minds of parents planning a day of family fun. Are those thrilling rides perhaps a little too thrilling?

If news reports of amusement park accidents cast a shadow over your summer plans, there are steps you can take to make sure those scary rides don't get too scary. WebMD spoke to experts for tips to help make your amusement park visit safe and fun.

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Size Matters

Children under 13 account for half of all ride-related injuries reported to state agencies, according to Kathy Fackler, who is the president of Saferparks, a California-based nonprofit organization. A huge mistake parents can make is letting children go on rides that aren't appropriate for their size. "Never try to bully your child's way onto a ride that has a height limit that's too high for them," Fackler tells WebMD.

Inspect Rides Yourself

Ride structure -- from restraints to size -- vary wildly, and you should examine a ride yourself to determine how safe it is for your child. "Just because there is a sign that says that a kid can go on a ride doesn't mean that the ride is safe for them," Fackler says.

It may put your mind at ease to know that the risk of injury is fairly low. One in 124,000 amusement park rides in the U.S. results in an injury that requires medical attention, according to an article that was published in the January 2002 issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine. In addition, the risk of an injury that requires hospitalization is only one in 15 million rides.

Containment failures -- or when children get ejected from a ride -- are likely the most troubling accidents, because the potential consequences are huge. "In terms of the most common injuries, you will probably see more tripping and falling in and out of rides, and fingers getting pinched in restraints," says Fackler. "But containment failure is what may cost your child their life."

Her advice? Take a close look at the restraints, regardless of the size of the ride. Some have very well-designed restraints, while others have almost nothing at all. Make sure the restraints fit closely against your children, and always remind children to hold on, even on a ride with quality restraints. If a ride doesn't look like it has adequate restraints, skip it.

"Teach your kids about ride safety in the same patient, repetitive way that you teach traffic safety or water safety, but don't trust them to protect themselves when they are young," says Fackler. Instead, chaperone your kids to get to know how they cope with scarier rides, and handle safety measures.

Limit the Number of Extreme Rides You Go On

You should also limit the number of thrill rides you or your kids go on, and take breaks between rides. Fackler says there is even research that shows that going on rides repetitively can put you at higher risk for injuries.

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