Amusement parks provide visitors with thrilling rides, breathtaking scenery, and much more. There should be no element of surprise about the dangers that could result from carelessness or negligence when you set foot on a famous national theme park in Florida or a smaller-scale operation, like state fair or carnivals. Unfortunately, when negligence and excitement mix, the result can be anything but happy, leading to severe physical harm and even wrongful death. Our Florida Amusement Park Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are committed to helping you if you or a loved one has suffered harm at a fair, carnival, theme park, or other location as a result of carelessness on the part of the owner or operator.
In February of this year (2023), the Ferris wheel at the Florida State Fair in Tampa shut down as riders were suspended upside down, with some being flipped back and forth by the wind.
We wanted to provide a few tips when approaching any type of ride, whether you are at a larger theme park or even smaller carnivals, too.
- When you arrive at your destination, look around at your surroundings and take note of any cleanliness issues. Are they picking up trash? Are the lines in order? The little stuff like this can tell you a lot about the type of operation you are at – if they are cutting corners on this stuff then they are probably not 100% focused on providing a safe environment for visitors.
- Check out the rides for any signs of wear and tear. Look for rusting or any signs of metal that is not welded correctly. If anything does not look professional, then it might not be safe.
- Watch the ride work a few times before you ride. Make sure it looks like everything is working smoothly before you get on it.
- Listen to the ride for any weird noises. If you hear any strange sounds with the way the ride is moving, then this is a sign that the ride might be about to stop working.
- Look at the employees operating the rides to see if they are attentive to riders. Are they making sure riders are seated properly? Are they putting people on the rides and making sure they are secure? Are they helping them off the ride? Are they actively making sure all riders are okay?
Trust your instincts when you are approaching these rides. Regardless of the venue, keep your eyes and ears open for any safety issues before you get on a ride. Continue reading
