Caused by negligence on the part of the guest. This can be refusal to follow specific ride safety instructions, or deliberate intent to violate park rules.
The result of a guest's known, or unknown, health issues.
Negligence on the part of the park, either by ride operator or maintenance safety instructions, or deliberate intent to violate park rules.
No Fault Accident, that is not a direct result of an action on anybody's part
Every day from May through September in each year between 1990-2010, there were an average of 20 injuries by amusement park guests under 18 years old that required hospitalization.
In 2011, 1,204 people were injured at 400 amusement parks, according to the IAAPA.
Florida
All of Florida's major parks—which include the Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay—report quarterly details surrounding accidents and other incidents at their parks. A requirement for these reported incidents is that they be fatal incidents, or that the injured person had required an overnight hospital visit. Four examples of the types of incidents that have been reported to Florida's Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection are listed here: From 2004 through 2009, the Orlando-area attractions that attracted the most guest lawsuits were:
2006
In the second quarter of 2006, there were 12 reported cases of serious injuries or illnesses out of the many people who visited the various parks and resorts.
*Disney reported nine cases. Among them were: two deaths; a man who swallowed too much water at Typhoon Lagoon; three women who fell and broke their hips or suffered other injuries; two men with chest pains; and a boy who fainted at Blizzard Beach.
* During that same time period, Universal Orlando reported one case: a woman with chest pain, numbness in an arm, and other symptoms.
* SeaWorld and Busch Gardens reported no cases during the quarter.
* Busch Gardens' Adventure Island water park reported two cases of people complaining of injuries.
In the fourth quarter of 2006, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, Wet ‘n Wild and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay reported no serious injuries or illnesses on rides in their fourth-quarter filings. Disney reported 6 incidents, ranging from a guest's dizziness upon exiting a ride to a broken foot at Typhoon Lagoon.
2007
In the first quarter of 2007, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, Wet ‘n Wild and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay reported no serious incidents on their rides. Disney reported four incidents that year.
In the 2nd quarter of 2007, only five significant incidents occurred at the major Orlando and Tampa Bay area theme parks. This marked the first time in five quarters that a fatality was not reported by those parks.
In the 3rd quarter of 2007, eight serious injuries were reported at the major Orlando and Tampa Bay area theme parks.
In the 4th quarter of 2007, three injuries and one death were reported at the major Orlando and Tampa Bay area theme parks.
Injuries to children
Approximately 4,400 children are hurt each year on amusement park rides, but only 1.5% of those injuries are serious enough to require hospitalization. Between 1990 and 2000, around 82,000 children under 18 were taken to emergency rooms after suffering injuries from amusement park rides. An additional 11,000 suffered injuries on rides outside amusement parks, such as those found at local malls, restaurants, or arcades. Of those reported 82,000 incidents, 34% occurred at locations where the rides were considered permanent, 29% happened on temporary attractions, and 25% were not categorized. Girls were injured more often than boys. The most frequent injuries were to the head, neck, arms, face, and legs. Most injuries reported appeared to be due to improper restraints or padding, or were caused by the child falling in, on, off, or against the ride.
