It’s that time of year when many New Jersey families take vacations. A number of children are probably pretty excited to get out to amusement parks and hop on roller coasters and other rides this season. A new study, however, might cause some concern for parents who are planning on taking their children to amusement parks or carnivals this summer.
The Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital conducted a study that found almost 93,000 children were taken to emergency departments between 1990 and 2010 for amusement-ride injuries. The majority of the accidents took place between May and September, which means that an average of about 20 children a day are injured on an amusement ride during spring and summer.
The injuries happened on a variety of types of rides, according to the study. About 33 percent took place on “fixed sites,” such as permanent amusement parks, while 29 percent took place at mobile sites like fairs and carnivals. Another 12 percent happened on smaller rides within malls, stores or restaurants.
The types of injuries also varied. Many of the injuries studied involved the head or neck, face, legs or arms. The most common types of injuries were cuts, broken bones, strains and sprains and soft tissue injuries.
In order to help keep children safe on rides this summer, New Jersey parents should be sure that their children follow the ride’s rules. They should also listen to their instincts. If a ride does not seem or look safe, do not get on it.
When a child is injured in an amusement park ride, his or her parents may be wise to seek legal counsel regarding property owner negligence. In many cases, the property owner or the manufacturer of the ride may be held liable after injuries. It can be important to hold the appropriate parties responsible after injuries not only to obtain compensation for medical expenses and other costs, but also to ensure that something is done so no other children are injured on the same ride.
Source: newsnet5.com, “Study: Amusement ride injuries send thousands of children to U.S. emergency departments,” Sarah Buduson, May 1, 2013
