Six Flags Told Ride Manufacturer in Writing NOT to Install Seatbelts
Six Flags has been trying to blame the ride’s maker for the horrific roller coaster accident that happened this summer at the park. But the roller coaster manufacturer isn’t letting Six Flags shift the blame.
Gerstlauer, maker of the Texas Giant roller coaster, said that Six Flags itself was responsible for some of the design and safety specifications of the renovated ride as built and installed. For example, the ride maker stated that Six Flags specified in writing that seat belts were not to be installed on the ride. (Maybe seatbelts were thought to take away from the “cool” factor of the ride.)
But our Six Flags ride accident attorneys note that the Arlington amusement park finally saw the value of additional safety restraints after the summer’s fatal fall from the ride that took the life of Ms. Rosy Esparza. Since that accident, Six Flags has installed redesigned restraint bars pads and seat belts on the trains, and has added a coaster “test” seat at the entrance to the ride so that patrons can see if they will fit safely onto the ride.
Gerstlauer said that it had provided the coaster “test” seat over two years before the accident and that the seat was designed so that a red light would go on if a rider’s size was unsafe in relation to the roller coaster restraint system. But Six Flags didn’t use that seat at the ride until after the fatal fall. (The test seat was probably considered uncool too. Or perhaps park managers didn’t want guests getting all worked up about their safety before they even got on the ride.) But it’s better late than never on safety improvements. Perhaps no one else will have to suffer as Ms. Esparza and her family did. In hindsight, the two safety measures of seatbelts and a test seat seem like obvious needs.
The ride manufacturer is also saying that Six Flags didn’t train or supervise its ride operators properly. You may recall that one of the ride operators later said that they thought the restraint bar didn’t seem secure. (But news accounts also indicated that the train system indicated things were good to go. The ride operators might have been trained to rely on the safety technology over their own judgment. And I’m not sure all people would prefer that a young, low-wage employee putting their judgment on safety over that of a carefully designed technical system.)
Gerstlauer says that the ride operator should have performed a “push-pull” test and should have pushed the emergency stop button to keep the ride from launching while they felt a restraint was not secured. (Sandra Baker, Fort Worth Star Telegram, 3/6/14) But how would you feel if some random employee started to do a “push-pull” test on you and your seat restraints as you were waiting for the ride to begin?
Unfortunately, the blame game that has followed this tragic accident has highlighted all too well the differences between foresight and hindsight.
Contact the Experienced Six Flags Ride Accident Attorneys at Denena Points, PC if You have Questions after a Roller Coaster Injury
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