U.S. amusement parks saw accidents this summer. Here are the safety rules in Missouri
A string of accidents at amusement parks in the Midwest have injured or killed several riders this summer.
Among them were three people who were hurt, and an 11-year-old boy who was killed, when a water ride overturned last weekend in Iowa. In Indiana, a woman recently died after an accident on a roller coaster.
And last month in Branson, an 11-year-old boy fell while getting off a roller coaster and became trapped under the rails.
In Missouri, the agency responsible for safety inspections in amusement parks is the state Division of Fire Safety.
The agency collects safety inspections and conducts spot inspections at permanent amusement parks and traveling fairs. Officials at the agency opened an investigation into the Branson case.
Here are five things to know about how rides are regulated in Missouri:
- A state operating permit is required for any mechanical device that carries or conveys passengers as well as other rides such as dry slides over 20 feet and bungee cord attractions
- Rides must pass a safety inspection conducted annually by a state-approved inspector
- Each ride that has been passed inspection is issued an adhesive operating permit that is placed on or near the rides’ control panel or operator’s station
- If a safety issue is found that poses a risk during a spot inspection, the ride will be closed immediately
- Missouri’s Amusement Ride Safety Act directs riders to obey posted rules and verbal instructions
The worst amusement park accident in recent years in the Kansas City area came in August 2016, when 10-year-old Caleb Schwab died on a 17-story water slide at Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City, Kansas. The park has since closed and is in the process of being redeveloped.
