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Summary of State Amusement Ride Regulations
State oversight of amusement rides varies widely. Most jurisdictions require owner/operators to purchase liability insurance. Some jurisdictions also perform public safety functions, such inspecting rides and investigating accidents.
State Ride Licensing Systems
- Amusement Ride Licensing and Private-Sector Safety Oversight
State government requires ride owner/operators to purchase liability insurance and/or submit paperwork certifying that rides meet industry standards and applicable state regulations. Inspection requirements vary. Some states rely on the park or carnival's insurance company to send out inspectors. Some states allow ride owners to choose their own inspectors, either from in-house personnel or 3rd party subcontractors. Accidents are generally handled privately by the ride owner, although police or state investigators may be called out to investigate fatalities or major accidents in some states.
Examples: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont
State Ride Inspection and Accident Investigation Programs
- Amusement Ride Inspection by Public Safety Officials
Government ride inspections act as audits of industry's safety programs and reduce the likelihood of accidents by providing an fresh set of eyes to spot problems before accidents occur. Because state inspectors see a variety of rides at a variety of venues, they tend to stay current on safety updates, height/age/weight restrictions, and maintenance procedures that smaller parks and carnivals might not be aware of. Manufacturer's updates aren't always forwarded to the new owner when a ride changes hands. Part of an inspector's job is making sure that amusement ride owners have the latest safety information regarding the rides they operate. - Mandatory Accident Reporting With Public Records
Most Government Ride Safety Programs require amusement ride owners to report injuries to the regulating agency. Reporting criteria varies widely, as does the type of data considered public record. For example, New Jersey requires that all injuries requiring a doctor's treatment be reported, while parks in Ohio only have to report accidents if a rider dies or is immediately admitted into a hospital. In most cases, those reports are available to the public by request. - Impartial Accident Investigations by Public Safety Officials
Government Ride Safety Programs hire and train investigators with knowledge of amusement ride safety to investigate serious accidents, providing an unbiased assessment of what caused the accident and what changes (if any) should be made to prevent a recurrence. In most cases, those reports are available to the public by request.
Examples: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin
States With Partial/Limited Government Oversight
- State Government Has Authority Over Some, But Not All, Critical Safety Functions
Amusement ride safety laws in these states fall somewhere in the middle, between full government oversight and industry self-regulation. Some require government inspectors to perform annual ride inspections, but allow ride owners to write the investigation report on their own accidents. Other states authorize government officials to investigate serious accidents, but not to perform periodic inspections or safety audits of thrill rides. Scope of inspection may be limited in some of these states as well. For example, Idaho inspectors are only authorized to look at the ride's electrical hookup.
Examples: Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia
States Without Ride Safety Laws
- Manufacturers, ride owner/operators, and insurance carriers handle safety as they see fit. All consumer safety information is privately held. No government agency is empowered to track equipment operating in the state, inspect rides, investigate accidents, audit safety records, or shut down unsafe rides.
Examples: Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming
