It's funny, because people do get hurt at these parks. And of course, some people die. I would venture to say that 99 percent of the time it's because they did something incredibly stupid that put themselves in harm's way. It's usually a case of someone not wearing a seat belt or standing up or trying to change seats mid-ride. It goes without saying that most people know it's not a good idea to do any of the above. The parks know it too and enforce these rules to the best of their ability. A ride that causes a death is a huge liability, and amusement parks want nothing less than a perfect safety record for their guests.
But of course, there are exceptions to this rule.
Once in a blue moon, you'll hear about a place like "Death Park," A.K.A. Action Park. Open 1978 to 1996, the summertime alter-ego of the Great Gorge Ski Resort claimed the lives of at least six people and caused countless injuries during its run. The DIY approach to a water park featured a frequently intoxicated staff and dare-devil New Jersey teenagers from low-income families looking for an alternative to the more expensive parks in the area.
Deaths included:
- Three drownings in the Tidal Wave Pool.
- Electrocution on the Kayak Experience ride.
- A fatal head injury on the Alpine Slide.
- A heart attack supposedly induced by the shock of the cold water in the Tarzan Swing pool.
And here's the infamous looping water slide below. Test dummies sent down the slide would frequently be found decapitated. An escape hatch had to be installed at the top of the loop because those brave enough to try would rarely make it all the way down.
Now under new management (these days it goes by Mountain Creek Waterpark), the risk of electric shock by exposed wiring at the Kayak Experience is presumably reduced. For the sake of the children of New Jersey, we can only hope so.
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