The Millennium Force in Sandusky, Ohio was the world's tallest roller coaster when it opened in May 2000. Its first incline stretches 310 feet above the ground and the coaster can exceed 90 miles per hour. Its nearest competitor at the time was Japan's Fujiyama coaster,
which was five stories shorter.
Why do people like to go on these rides? Psychologists believe that the new breed of faster, longer, higher roller coasters send riders into an adrenaline-induced euphoria. However, the rush riders crave may do more physical harm than emotional good.
Recently, Japanese neurologists documented the case of a 24-year-old woman who suffered a subdural hematoma (bleeding below the brain's outer membrane) caused by repeatedly riding a Japanese roller coaster. After leaving the amusement park, the woman developed a nagging headache that grew worse with time. The headache continued for two months, until an MRI revealed the bleeding and physicians drained the blood.
Scientists are concerned about the effects that jerky, sharp turns made by modern roller coasters have on the human body. Such turns are unnatural to the body, which is better equipped to handle straight rather than side-to-side movements. The jostling of the coaster can cause a rider's head to slam into restraints, jolting the brain, and possibly causing a contusion and bleeding.
Statistics reveal an alarming increase in roller coaster-related injuries. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 14 people died on U.S. roller coasters between 1987 and August 1999.
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions counters safety concerns by pointing out that the likelihood of incurring serious injury at an amusement park is 1 in 86 million. In addition, the association claims that the odds of dying at an amusement park are nearly 1 in 1.5 billion.