May 22, 2009 – With the
holiday weekend approaching, amusement parks and traveling shows are tuning up
their rides and polishing their cotton candy spinners getting ready for a
summer of fun.
Governor
Jennifer M. Granholm issued a proclamation declaring May 24-30,
2009, as Amusement Ride Safety Week to bring
awareness to the state's amusement industry.
"It's carnival and amusement park
season again and we want to ensure that kids of all ages are safe. The majority
of accidents are due to rider error so we encourage parents to talk to kids
about avoiding horseplay and other dangerous acts while enjoying rides – it's a
dangerous combination," said Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth
(DELEG) Director Stanley "Skip" Pruss. "The safe enjoyment of amusement rides
allows Michigan's tourism industry to flourish, bringing millions of
visitors each year and adding millions of dollars to our economy."
National
data complied by the Saferparks organization (www.saferparks.org) indicate that most
amusement ride accidents are suffered by children under the age of 13. The five
years between ages seven and 12 account for nearly a third of all ride
accidents.
There are
many reasons for this including inexperience, lack of caution and youthful
exuberance which, when coupled with large machines, can lead to tragedy.
Thankfully such tragedies are rare, but parents and guardians can do much to
ensure they are rare.
To reduce
the chance of injury for all ages and still enjoy the ride, the DELEG offers
these tips:
- Choose
appropriate rides. Consider the nature of the ride and the rider's abilities,
sensitivities and health.
- Follow
the rules; riders need to heed the age, height and weight restrictions and
riding instructions. These were created by the rides' designers and
manufacturers.
- Secure
loose clothing and objects.
- Stay
seated with eyes front and hold on until the ride stops.
- Report
incidents to the ride operator or contact the Amusement Safety Unit at (517)
241-9273.
Nine
hundred amusement rides are licensed in Michigan including water slides and
go-karts, carnival rides and roller coasters. The state also licenses 30
carnivals, 30 amusement parks, 60 family fun centers and 60 aquatic centers.
New attractions are on their way to Michigan for the 2009 amusement season,
including two roller coasters, five waterslides, two go-cart tracks, and nine
carnival rides including one that is 100 feet tall and on which riders will
travel 60 mph.
DELEG
licenses more than 1,600 inspectors statewide and regulates training of the
ride operators. Amusement ride riding is among the safest of activities and has
long been a part of summer fun, but still injuries and risk of death can occur.
"Despite the best efforts of many people, accidents occur
and on average, about 30 injuries are reported to the DELEG annually. This is a
small figure considering somewhere between 50 million to 100 million rides are
taken in Michigan annually. However, even one injury is too many in our
opinion, so we do all we can to ensure the carnival rides are held to the
highest safety standards. We also ask
that riders ensure they act appropriately," Pruss said.
The vast
majority of these injuries are caused by the riders themselves and are
preventable. A recent study of nearly 500 injuries reported to DELEG over the
last 12 years showed that 80 percent were caused by the rider's own actions.
The remaining 20 percent were caused by the ride operators or failures of the
equipment or a combination of both.
It is important
to note that inflatable "bounce houses", bungee jumps and climbing walls are
not regulated in Michigan. Users of these devices should use
the same recommendations and be especially alert to the condition of the device
and the attentiveness of the operators.
There are
many very good amusement ride safety resources for kids and adults.
Two good websites
are especially for kids:
More adult information can be found at these websites:
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