Frequently Asked Questions

Click on a question to see the answer, or you can expand the page to show all answers.
Use the form at the right to search for FAQs that contain a specific keyword or phrase.

About General Safety

How safe are rides at U.S. amusement parks and carnivals?

How much control do you have over your own safety when you're on a ride?

How many accidents are caused by equipment failure?

What are some red flags that should make you re-think riding a certain ride?

Why is it important to find the ride that fits?

Are today's high acceleration rides more dangerous than slower rides?

Why is it important to take precautions like dressing properly, behaving courteously, and drinking/eating appropriately throughout the day?

The industry blames most accidents on rider misconduct. Is this an accurate assessment?

About Child Safety

Are children at higher risk for injury on amusement rides?

What should parents know about choosing rides for children?

What safety lessons should parents teach children before visiting parks and carnivals?

Why won't the operator waive the height requirement when I tell him my child is mature enough to ride?

When is it safe to let my child ride alone?

If my child is too short to ride alone, is it safe for him to ride with his older brother?

The operator says I'm not allowed to ride with my 1-year-old on a kiddie ride. Isn't it dangerous to let toddlers ride alone?

How should a family communications plan work in the event that children get separated from their parents?

Who develops child safety standards for amusement rides?

About Data and Statistics

How many people are injured on U.S. amusement rides each year?

What is the most common cause of amusement ride accidents and injuries?

What are the most common types of injuries on go-karts, waterslides, and inflatables?

Where does Saferparks get its data and statistics?

Who generates the safety statistics quoted by the amusement park industry?

Why are the annual injury estimates produced by IAAPA significantly lower than estimates produced by CPSC's NEISS system?

IAAPA calculates its estimate from an annual survey of client parks. The two systems don't count the same thing. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's NEISS system samples emergency room records to estimate the number of injuries actually treated. IAAPA's system asks amusement parks to report the number of credible customer claims made for injuries treated by a physician. Logic suggests that not all injured customers will bother to file claims.

Do you have any statistics on how accident rates for amusement park rides compare to accident rates for other machinery used by consumers or other recreational activities?

About Safety Oversight

What safety regulations apply to U.S. amusement rides?

What about the big parks like Disney World and Six Flags?

Who checks up on the carnivals that move around from place to place?

Why are amusement park rides exempt from federal safety oversight?

If signed into law, what would Congressman Markey's bill do?

My favorite park says they inspect their rides every day. Why should the government require additional inspections?

If a park is already subject to state regulation, why is a federal layer of oversight important?

Why is it important that serious accidents be investigated by the government?