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Standards and Safety Regulations for U.S. Amusement Rides
Amusement ride safety in the United States is regulated through a patchwork of voluntary standards and federal, state, and local laws.
- 28 states have government officials with ride safety training and some kind of significant oversight authority. 16 states rely on insurance companies or 3rd party inspectors to audit industry compliance with safety standards and regulations.
- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission monitors the safety of portable amusement rides, investigates serious accidents, and works with manufacturers to correct defects or hazards. Rides at amusement parks and water parks are exempt from federal safety oversight.
- The industry has developed an extensive suite of consensus safety standards for amusement rides through the ASTM F-24 committee. Technical collaboration and improvements are on-going.
Where Are the Gaps?
- Consistency/uniformity of state rules
There is no central agency with authority to coordinate ride safety public policy, so each state designs its own rules and programs. - Public accident investigations
23 states still do not have government officials authorized and trained to investigate serious amusement park accidents, and Florida law exempts large parks from public investigation of accidents, including fatalities. - Specialized expertise
Some hazard patterns and some catastrophic amusement ride accidents require knowledge, education, and experience beyond that available in state ride safety agencies, yet federal experts are prohibited from investigating safety problems at permanent parks. - Nationwide coordination of safety-critical information
No agency is empowered to make sure that safety issues identified on a ride in one amusement park are corrected on similar equipment in all states and all companies. - Centralized data collection
No agency is empowered to collect nationwide data on amusement ride accidents and monitor for critical events or trends. The better state programs may identify and correct hazard patterns within their local jurisdiction, but local agencies have no authority to extend safety improvements nationwide. - Government participation in standards development
Consensus standards developed by the amusement ride industry are weak in some key areas, such as child safety requirements. Lack of federal authority over amusement park rides reduces incentive for industry to address problems that may not cut into profit, but are injuring children. - Public Education
No public safety agency has authority and the effective means to educate U.S. consumers about safety issues on amusement park rides. This function is most important for parents of young children, older adults, and consumers with certain physical or mental conditions.
