Personal Injury Law

Cautions Issued About Fair and Amusement Rides ? They Cause Florida Personal Injury Claims Each Year

By Flaxman & Lopez

Now that fall fair season is here, many Florida residents are taking advantage of the beautiful fall Florida weather to visit amusement parks and rides. While most of these rides are safe and provide a harmless amusement, each year, some people are injured on these rides. Florida injuries to minors and children are especially common with amusement park rides, since children and teens are most likely to be attracted by this type of entertainment.

The Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner has issued a warning to everyone hoping to take advantage of fall rides. According to studies, most people who are injured on amusement park and fair rides are injured because they fail to follow the rules posted beside each ride. According to the Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner, many Florida personal injuries can be avoided this fall if fair patrons take the time to read and follow the posted rules at all fair rides.

Of course, in some cases, rules are not made clear or rides are not maintained, leading to accidents. The Bureau of Fair Ride Inspections is the body that inspects rides at carnivals, fairs, and entertainment faculties. Under Florida guidelines, all fairs operating rides need a permit ? which must be renewed yearly ? and all rides need to be inspected before being open to the public. Each time a ride is set up, it must pass inspection before children and patrons are allowed on. At amusement parks and other places where rides are set up permanently, the rides need to be inspected twice each year and must be granted a permit twice a year.

Florida has 211 permanent entertainment facilities and amusement parks with permanent rides. There are also more than 167 companies offering traveling entertainments with temporary rides in the state. The Bureau of Fair Ride Inspections inspected over 9,500 rides in 2009. However, accidents can and do occur.

According to research, about 93% of amusement park and fair ride accidents are caused by patron mistakes or errors. About 8% had an undetermined cause or were caused by mechanical problems. When The Bureau of Fair Ride Inspections makes its inspections, about 44% of rides fail an initial inspection. However, The Bureau of Fair Ride Inspections has also reported that the number of failed inspections has been dropping since 1997, since operators are doing more to provide safe rides for patrons.

Full post as published by Florida Injury Lawyer Blog on November 02, 2010 (boomark / email).