Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007 | 7:26 a.m.
Federal officials estimate that four people die and thousands more are injured on amusement rides each year, yet the rides have no comprehensive federal oversight.
A story by The Washington Post this week reports that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission sets only voluntary safety standards for amusement rides and is responsible for inspecting the safety of only traveling carnival rides. The agency has no jurisdiction over fixed rides such as those at Disneyland, Six Flags and other parks.
As a result, government oversight of amusement rides typically falls to local or state agencies, and regulations vary by state - if they exist at all. Arizona, Kansas and Texas don't even require inspections of rides or the accidents involving them.
In one example, the Post cites a ride called the Sizzler, which is used in both fixed parks and traveling carnivals across the country. It has been involved in numerous rider injuries and four fatalities over the past decade - including the 1997 death of a 3-year-old in Las Vegas who was ejected from the spinning ride (which was subsequently closed).
The most recent death involving the Sizzler happened in July when a 6-year-old Kentucky boy was thrown from the ride, the Post reports. Yet even after a decade of such reports the Sizzler's manufacturer, Wisdom Industries, has only recently recommended that operators of the ride add seat belts. Installation is voluntary.
Before the end of the year, a House subcommittee is to consider legislation introduced by Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., that would strengthen the safety commission's oversight of carnival rides and give the agency new authority to regulate fixed rides at theme parks. Markey has introduced such measures in the past, but powerful lobbying by the amusement ride industry has routinely defeated them.
Certainly, amusement rides can be perfectly safe. But patchwork regulation by states and virtually nonexistent federal standards are not the best way to ensure the safety of devices used by more than 300 million people annually.
It does not make sense that the commission has mandatory safety standards for such items as baby cribs and bunk beds, yet does not carry similar authority for amusement rides that can move at speeds of up to 100 mph. The agency should have the authority and the money to oversee and enforce amusement ride safety standards.
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