Amusement Park Injuries: Safety Tips for Thrill Seekers: Common amusement park and ride injuries, statistics and tips for avoiding injuries as well as for handling them properly when they occur.
STUDY: AMUSEMENT PARK RIDES INJURE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN EVERY YEAR
4,423 injuries each year and 20 injuries daily from May through September
Chicago, IL, May 26, 2013 – In a study published in the May, 2013 issue of the journal “Clinical Pediatrics,” researchers found that 92,885 children under the age of 18 were treated in emergency rooms for amusement park type injuries from 1990 to 2010, with 70 percent of those injuries occurring from May through September.
Researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus Ohio examined Consumer Product Safety Commission information on children who were treated in emergency rooms for amusement ride injuries throughout a 20 year period. According to their findings, an average of 4,323 children are injured annually on amusement rides, and during the summer months, injuries occur at a rate of 20 per day.
Most commonly injured body regions included the head and neck, and the most common type of injuries were soft tissue injuries, such as damaged ligaments, tendons and muscles. Falls were the most common cause of injury, including falling into, off of or against rides. Injuries requiring hospitalization comprised approximately 1.5 percent of total injuries.
Types of amusement rides examined for this study included fixed-site rides, such as those found in amusement parks, mobile rides found at carnivals or fairs and mall rides in use at shopping malls and arcades. According to researchers, this study was the first done in the United States to evaluate nationwide rates of child emergency room visits due to amusement ride injuries.
With amusement park season upon us, it is important for parents to be aware that accidents can and do happen every year, so children must be carefully supervised on amusement rides. Safety rules, such as height requirements, are in place for good reason, so be sure to enforce them with your children. Also, check safety belts or harnesses to make sure they are intact and properly fastened and adjusted for your child.
While being watchful can significantly reduce the risk of injuries, even the most attentive parent cannot entirely eliminate that risk. Sometimes injuries occur due to unsafe equipment, improper safety practices or poorly trained operators, among many other reasons. Should injuries occur during your family outing, the experience Chicago personal injury lawyers at Ankin Law can ensure that your case is resolved justly.
