If you’re planning a trip to an amusement park, you may be curious about the frequency of injuries.
Amusement Park Injury Statistics
1. In 2016, approximately 30,000 injuries were reported in the United States.
2. In 2024, roller coasters accounted for about 44% of injuries at surveyed fixed-site parks, the highest share on record.
3. Children represent about 50% of these ride-related injuries
4. The two most common reasons for accidents in theme parks are mechanical errors and operator errors.
5. Water slides are the attraction with the highest number of incidents, recording 1,647 injuries from 2011-2016.
1. In 2016, there were around 30,000 reported amusement park injuries in the United States
In 2016, approximately 30,000 injuries were reported in the United States due to amusement park rides and attractions. According to data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The commission also said it is aware of 22 deaths since 2010 associated with amusement attractions.
The International Association for Amusement Parks said that while approximately 335 million people visit amusement parks in the United States each year, the likelihood of sustaining a serious injury at an amusement park that would lead to an overnight stay at a hospital is one in 16 million. [1]
More recent national data reflects a narrower measure. The CPSC no longer publishes an annual estimate of total amusement ride injuries.
The National Safety Council’s North America Fixed-Site Amusement Ride Safety Report, 2024 Update estimated about 1,495 ride-related injuries at surveyed U.S. and Canadian fixed-site parks in 2024, roughly 8% of them serious.
That survey counts only fixed-site rides at participating permanent parks, so its total is not directly comparable to the CPSC’s broader 2016 estimate. [2]
2. Roller Coasters Accounted for About 44% of Fixed-Site Ride Injuries in 2024
Roller coasters are a major source of injuries in amusement parks across the US. In 2024, they accounted for about 44% of the injuries reported at surveyed U.S. and Canadian fixed-site parks, the highest share the industry’s safety survey has recorded. [2] Many seek out amusement parks just to ride roller coasters, but if they come away injured it may end their thrill seeking.
Even so, the underlying risk stays small. That same survey worked out to roughly 1.27 injuries per million roller coaster rides. [2]
3. Around 50% of ride-related injuries at amusement parks are represented by children
Amusement parks are a popular form of entertainment for people of all ages, but they can also be a source of potential danger. Each year, tens of thousands of individuals suffer injuries while visiting amusement parks.
Children represent a significant portion of these injuries, accounting for approximately 50% of ride-related incidents. [3]
4. The primary causes of accidents in theme parks are mechanical errors and operator errors
Theme parks are almost always an exciting experience, but unfortunately, there are risks involved with any type of amusement park ride. Amusement park injuries can range from minor bumps and bruises to more serious injuries such as broken bones, head trauma, and death.
The two most common reasons for accidents in theme parks are mechanical errors and operator errors. [4]
5. From 2011 to 2016, water slides recorded 1,647 injuries, making them the attraction with the highest number of incidents.
According to statistics gathered from 2011 to 2016, water slides have been responsible for a staggering 1,647 injuries! With their towering heights, twisting turns, and extreme drops, it’s no wonder that these attractions pose risks for riders. [5]
Many of these injuries result from improper maintenance, equipment malfunctions, and ride design flaws.
If you’ve been injured at an amusement park, Goldberg & Loren’s personal injury lawyers help victims get the justice they deserve. Contact Goldberg & Loren today to schedule a free consultation.
How Common Are Amusement Park Accidents?
Serious amusement park accidents make headlines precisely because they are unusual. Against the roughly 335 million visits U.S. amusement parks draw each year, reported injuries number in the low tens of thousands, and the ones severe enough to require a hospital stay are rarer still.
The CPSC’s last broad national estimate put amusement ride injuries at about 30,000 in 2016. [1] The more recent National Safety Council and IAAPA survey counted about 1,495 injuries at participating U.S. and Canadian fixed-site parks in 2024, and only about 8% of those were classified as serious. [2]
Most of what gets logged is minor: bumps, bruises, and strains rather than catastrophic harm. Accidents do happen, but the odds of a serious one on any given visit stay low.
What Are the Odds of Dying on a Roller Coaster?
Deaths tied to amusement rides are rare. The CPSC has linked amusement attractions to 22 deaths since 2010, an average of roughly three to four a year across every type of ride nationwide. [1]
Coaster-specific counts are harder to pin down, since no agency tracks them on an ongoing basis. A peer-reviewed study found about four deaths a year associated with roller coasters in the United States from 1994 to 2004, and more recent tallies put the figure closer to one or two a year. [6]
Framed as risk per visit, the industry estimates the chance of an injury serious enough to require an overnight hospital stay at about one in 16 million. [1] A fatal outcome is rarer than that.
Put in everyday terms, the drive to the park carries more real risk than the coaster itself. That context is easy to lose when a single tragic incident dominates the news for a week.
Which Is More Dangerous: Water Slides or Roller Coasters?
By raw injury count, water slides top the list. From 2011 to 2016 they recorded 1,647 injuries, the most of any single attraction type over that span. [5]
Roller coasters draw more attention, and they remain a leading source of ride injuries: the industry’s 2024 fixed-site safety survey put their share at about 44%, the highest on record. [2] Because water slide and fixed-site ride figures come from different data sets and years, the two are hard to line up on a single scale.
Neither is high-risk in absolute terms. Both attractions injure only a tiny fraction of the riders they carry each year.
Amusement Park Injury Statistics Infographic
Amusement Park Safety: Frequently Asked Questions
Fatalities are rare. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has linked amusement attractions to 22 deaths since 2010, an average of roughly three to four a year.
For comparison, the industry estimates the odds of an injury serious enough to require an overnight hospital stay at about one in 16 million visits. [1]
The CPSC estimated about 30,000 amusement ride injuries treated in emergency rooms in 2016, its last broad national estimate. [1]
More recently, the National Safety Council and IAAPA estimated about 1,495 injuries at surveyed U.S. and Canadian fixed-site parks in 2024, roughly 8% of them serious. [2]
By raw incident count, water slides led all attractions with 1,647 injuries recorded from 2011 to 2016. [5] Roller coasters are also a leading source of ride injuries, about 44% of the injuries at surveyed fixed-site parks in 2024. [2]
Both remain low-risk compared with the hundreds of millions of rides taken each year.
Roller coaster deaths are uncommon. A peer-reviewed study found about four a year in the United States from 1994 to 2004, and more recent tallies put it closer to one or two a year. [6]
No agency tracks coaster deaths on an ongoing basis, so recent figures are compilations rather than official counts. The odds of an injury serious enough to require an overnight hospital stay are about one in 16 million. [1]
Sources:
[1] Amusement parks linked to thousands of injuries in 2016, safety commission estimates. (2017, July 28). Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/28/health/amusement-park-safety-data-2016/index.html
[2] National Safety Council. (2025, October). North America Fixed-Site Amusement Ride Safety Report, 2024 Update (Executive Public Summary). Prepared for IAAPA. https://iaapa.org/research/2024-north-america-fixed-site-amusement-ride-safety-report
[3] Castillo, L. (2023, October 4). Amusement Park Accident Statistics [Fresh Research] • Gitnux. GITNUX. https://gitnux.org/amusement-park-accident-statistics/
[4] Amusement Park Ride Accidents – Mechanical Failure or Human Error? (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www.cedtechnologies.com/amusement-park-ride-accidents/
[5] Amusement Park Injuries in the US between 2011 and 2016. (2019, November 13). Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://rstudio-pubs-static.s3.amazonaws.com/549362_b3d8f24e7ee84323957cd47559285a45.html
[6] Pelletier, A., & Gilchrist, J. (2005). Roller coaster related fatalities, United States, 1994–2004. Injury Prevention, 11(5), 309–312. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1730261
