After Roller Coaster Death, Critics Call for Federal Oversight
- Dead Man Flying: Georgia man ejected from Six Flags' Goliath — no federal seatbelt to catch him or the blame.
- 50 States, 50 Safety Nets (Some Missing): Amusement park 'regulation' is a patchwork quilt stitched by lobbies, not lawmakers.
- Death by Lightning More Likely: Industry stats say coasters are safe — unless you're the one 4,000 kids injured annually in ERs.
- Congress Snoozes, Park Profits Bruised: Reform bills stall while Six Flags stock takes a nosedive faster than its rides.
- Clamshell Restraint, Oyster-Strong Alibi: Swiss designers and park flacks offer condolences, not culpability.
Brief Summary
Another day, another tourist turned human projectile at Six Flags, and Washington's response is a collective shrug. There's no federal cop on the coaster beat; just a carnival of state agencies with names like 'Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner' — which, reassuringly, sounds like it also inspects gas stations. Industry groups trot out the tired 'lightning strike' math to dismiss a body count that includes 11 non-medical patron deaths in a decade, while kids keep racking up ER visits by the thousands, mostly off the books.
Why This Matters
If you've ever queued two hours for a 90-second adrenaline rush, this is your wake-up call. The absence of a federal clipboard means your safety is basically a coin flip between a state inspector's diligence and a corporation's maintenance budget. And with Six Flags openly accused of 'deferring' park upkeep to juice profits, you're not just a thrill-seeker — you're an unpaid crash-test dummy for shareholder value. Unless you're cool with a clamshell restraint being the only thing between you and a headline, maybe check if your state's inspector moonlights at an amusement park.