Amusement Park Accidents: Don't Go

Major accidents at major theme parks get major press attention, but the majority of injuries at amusement parks come at much smaller establishments. Local miniature golf arenas often offer other attractions in addition to the mini golf course, attractions such as video games, laser tag, and go karts. Many of these businesses operate on low budgets to maximize profits, and safety is often one of the first things compromised when the budget is small.

A recent incident in West Chester Township, Ohio has received little national attention despite the horrific details. A teen and her friends were taking part in a go kart race when the teen’s hair became tangled in the back axle of the kart. Her hair, including part of her scalp, was yanked off.

Injuries at miniature golf courses and similar places are more common than most people think. The most common causes of injury at smaller amusement venues include:

• Trauma and neck injuries when go kart vehicles crash into guard rails or into other karts at unsafe speeds
• Trip and fall injuries and head injuries when people crash into each other in the darkness of laser tag arenas
• Spider and snake bites at outdoor miniature golf courses

The venue is calling what happened to the girl a freak accident, but anytime a go kart or other vehicle has exposed machinery there is a chance of something going terribly wrong. Businesses often issue denials of responsibility in situations such as this. If you or someone you love has been injured in an amusement park accident, no matter how large or how small the park, please contact a qualified attorney. Technicians should have known the danger of the vehicle design, as anybody with long hair could have suffered the same fate as this teen. Only a qualified attorney can help you push these types of establishments to put safety first.