This site is an interesting clearinghouse for reports of ride accidents. The photo of the guy that appears trapped in a car while the ride burns is kind of chilling.
As Philip has already pointed out, you would lose that bet.
According to an IAAPA study on the subject, there were 1.82 billion amusement rides taken at fixed-site parks in the U.S.A. 2005, with 1,783 injuries. That works out to less than a one-in-a-million chance of being injured on an amusement park ride.
Amusement rides cause an average of two fatalities per year. Crunching the numbers again, that gives a one-in-half-a-billion chance of being killed on an amusement park ride.
Most tellingly, one interesting article on the subject reports that "according to the studies, the injury rate for children's wagons, golf, and folding lawn chairs are higher than amusement rides."
Tower of Terror- and this type of accident would not be possible on that ride, since the riders are fully enclosed in the ride, no body parts dangling out.
It's absolutely ridiculous that anyone thinks that going on rides at major theme parks is more dangerous than driving on public roads. You might as well argue how dangerous it is to go to bed, since so many people die in their sleep.
I'd be shocked if the law-firm asks for anything less than $100million out the gate. This child could easily have become the next super-athlete making $20mil annually, after all.
They'll probably settle around $3mil. (Thats after the law-firms 3rd. and medical bills. 6Flags will probably be out 7-8mil when all is said and done).
My daughter has a field trip for being a honor student at the same Six Flags each year. She was there 2 weeks ago but didn't ride that ride. Last year she went on it a few times. Stories like this are a parents worst nightmare.
I can't ride amusement park rides anymore due to back troubles from car accident 4 years ago, but I would think twice about hopping aboard that ride after this news; but let me tell you, I bet teens will be flocking to it because of the "I dare ya" appeal to it now. Ah, to be young, dumb, and full of...
I don't have the stats in front of me to back this statement up but you are absolutely incorrect. The odds of being injured in a car accident are much higher than being hurt on an amusement park ride.
> but I would think twice about hopping aboard that ride after this news; but let me tell you, I bet teens will be flocking to it because of the "I dare ya" appeal to it now.
By the time it reopens it will be the safest ride in the park. Not much of a dare at all.
I love theme park rides, heck I'm going on 15 years of holding an annual pass for Disneyland and go almost weekly. A few years back when that fella was killed on Big Thunder Railroad I was back on it right when it was reopened. I'm willing to bet theme park rides are the safest way to travel. The deaths and injuries are very few and very far between.
It is very sad for this girl, and hopefully she can recover quickly and lead a normal life.
I remember the first time I was "schooled" in how dangerous amusement rides can be. Back in the mid-1970s in my dinky little town a fair ride killed 2 visitors. I avoid local fly-by-night fairs like the plague.
I remember when me and my cousin were at Six Flag in the early 1980s and they stopped the Scream Machine that was almost at the top of the first big hill. This dude was standing up in his seat all the way. They told him to "sit down!" and we laughed hard. It didn't even cross my mind to wonder how riders should even be able to do that.
I'm hoping we'll get an update on the girl's condition from Thursday's accident. I haven't read whether her feet were intact or not. I'd sleep better if I knew they could somehow reattach them. My guess is she has a long road to recovery using artifical appendages.
That's good. Glad to know there's a chance. It's amazing what the body can take. I mean, to have your feet snatched from you like that. Jeez louise!
Btw, wiki has a good writeup about Six Flags accidents, including this one. There's all kinds of disturbing stuff to read about it. Perhaps the worst happened in 1984 when 8 teens died in a ride called the Haunted Castle at Six Flags in NJ. There was a documentary produced a few years ago about it. Doorway to Hell? The Mystery and Controversy Surrounding the Fire at the Haunted Castle
I'm worried. I could develop a new, unhealthy fascination for theme park accidents. Blah! This is usually the kind of thing I save for October. Last year it was seriel killers (lasted a day, then I got too grossed out).