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Melissa's
Report
Roller Coaster Accidents by Melissa You arrive at the Canyon Coaster Amusement Park. You take a look at all of the roller coasters. Which one should you ride? You choose the "Black Diamond" roller coaster. Why did you choose that one? Well, it is the fastest roller coaster in the park - reaching speeds up to 70 MPH. It is made of durable steel. It has all sorts of special effects and features. But, most of all it is the safest. This ride is inspected five times daily and is sure to never break down. On every ride it has ever gone on, nothing had happened. You always hear about roller coaster accidents on the "safest" rides. You will never hear about an accident on this ride. Most accidents that have occurred at amusements parks have happened because of total carelessness. Four our of five ride-related injuries are caused by visitors who stand up, swing their legs over the lap bar, or ignore instructions. For example, on June 30, 1995, a fourteen year-old girl died after sustaining a massive head injury from a 25-foot fall from the "Timberwolf" roller coaster. She was reported to have been standing or kneeling at the time of the accident. On August 14, 1995, a 36 year-old maintenance worker was killed after he was struck on the head by the foot of a passenger on a suspended rollercoaster. On April 30, 1989, a 6 year-old boy died in a roller coaster accident. He attempted to leave his compartment after the ride had come to a stop in the boarding area. The operator decided to send the train around the track again, and as it restarted, the boy fell to the ground. The ground was only less than four feet below the track. He climbed up through the track and was struck by the car as it returned. The operator could not have stopped the ride. Most of these deaths occurred because of the riders' carelessness. The 1999 death toll for park riders is six deaths. The yearly average over the past decade is 2.3 deaths. A lot of states have required safety rules. Missouri requires the state to inspect any ride where an accident occurred and it led to medical treatment of a visitor. Some states are making it illegal to disobey safety rules. Most parks inspect rides at least daily. Many states have adopted a new law that puts you in responsibility for your safety. If you do anything foolish or unsafe that would put you and/or the other people around you in danger, you can be charged with a crime. Most states require the posting of Ride Safety Signs. The "Black Diamond" roller coaster is the safest because it has wheels that are connected on both the top and the bottom. There are no unsafe tricks that could cause the cars to stall or fly off the track. There are Ride Safety Signs posted everywhere on the ride. There is no chance of this ride ever having an accident. So, when you arrive at the Canyon Coaster Amusement Park, choose the "Black Diamond" roller coaster. This is the safest and the most fun roller coaster of all!!! Melissa BibliographyWebsites: Magazine Article: |