Saferparks Proposal:
National Amusement Ride Safety Plan

The "go-team" accident investigation model used by National Transportation Safety Board seems to be a good fit here.

• The government assembles an investigation team which includes the manufacturer and the owner/operator, as well as any specialized technical or medical experts deemed necessary by the lead investigator. In the case of amusement ride accidents in states with hands-on regulatory programs, state safety officials would be a key part of the go-team.
• The lead investigator is a federal employee who ensures that a fair and thorough investigation is conducted. The go-team model allows for extensive use of industry experts, while avoiding the conflict of interest that arises when the private sector is allowed to control its own public safety investigations.
• NTSB regulations require that the accident scene be sealed immediately and the conditions preserved for investigators. The machinery is considered part of the evidence, and may only be released (or, in this case, re-opened) by decision of the lead investigator.
• Lawyers, insurance companies, and others parties with only a financial interest in the outcome in the investigation are excluded from participating in the technical investigation.
• The NTSB model allows the go-team to disseminate early alerts, if necessary, before the final published reports.

As of June 15, 2005, all passenger air carriers are required to submit monthly reports to the U.S. Department of Transportation describing deaths and injuries of household pets during any segment of a commercial air flight, including load/unload. For each reportable incident, the air carrier is required to provide the following information:

• Carrier and flight number.  Note that this identifies the specific aircraft involved in the incident as all air craft are required to be registered with the federal government. Saferparks' proposed ride licensing system would serve that purpose for amusement rides (see next section).
• Date and time of the incident.
• Description of the animal.
• Narrative description of the incident.
• Narrative description of the cause of the incident.
• Narrative description of any corrective action taken in response to the incident.
• Name, title, address, and phone number of the individual filing the report on behalf of the air carrier.

Pet deaths and injuries are reported regardless of what caused the event or who the airline deemed to be at fault for the incident.  Trauma-related pet deaths and injuries are reported, but so are pet deaths and illness from heart arrhythmia or bleeding on the brain. The purpose of the system is to find out what types of pets are vulnerable to which types of injuries while flying in specific types of air craft, so that consumers can make responsible decisions about whether a particular air craft flight is safe enough for their own pets.

The data on pet injuries during air craft flights is more comprehensive and detailed than the public records most states provide on amusement ride-related deaths and injuries to human beings.

2b) Data on Ride Machinery: Modeled on Car Licensing, Aircraft Registry, etc.

Most large machines designed to carry passengers are required to be registered with a government agency. For example, any American who owns a car must pay to register it and display identifying license plates at all times. By contrast, there is no nationwide licensing or tracking system for amusement rides. Problems noted:

• No one knows how many amusement rides are operating in the United States , nor do we know basic statistical information regarding the age of the equipment, types of restraint systems, speeds, acceleration profiles, etc.
• State and local safety officials have no reliable way of tracking the inspection and incident history of traveling carnival rides that set up to operate in their jurisdiction. State safety officials have wanted a national licensing system for years, but it proved impossible to accomplish from the bottom up.
• Rides are often sold off following a serious accident. Without a licensing requirement, there is no way for buyers to ascertain the safety history of the ride.
• Most amusement rides outlast the companies that built them. Once the manufacturer stops supporting the product, there is no longer a reliable mechanism for ensuring that safety-critical information reaches all of the people currently operating the equipment.

Although amusement rides are not typically considered consumer products, the CPSC appears to be the best fit as a regulating agency for those safety issues that exceed the scope/capabilities of state and local amusement ride safety agencies.

• The CPSC has been monitoring and investigating ride safety issues for more than a quarter century. No other federal agency has experience with amusement rides.
• The CPSC has extensive experience with human factors analysis and consumer education/alerts, particularly in the area of child safety. Half of all ride-related injuries involve children under the age of 14. Amusement ride safety depends, to a significant degree, upon safe choice and use of the equipment by consumers. The CPSC is a trusted, recognized authority in the eyes of American parents, and has a well-established system to communicate safety information to the public.