Consumer demand, as well as radical advances in technology, have pushed the amusement park industry into a new frontier. Rides are now faster, longer, taller and full of more safety equipment than ever before. Yet, deaths and injuries continue to occur.
Some roller coasters reach speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. Others take riders as high as 300 feet in the air. It is the thrill of such rides that keep patrons coming back.
Several recent deaths and injuries have called the safety of these extreme rides into question. Industry critics claim that such rides push the human body beyond its natural limits. However, ride manufacturers, designers, and safety experts all claim that these new super rides are safer than ever before.