Local
After fatal fall, Six Flags plans added restraints and systemwide safety review
Six Flags says it will add seat belts to Goliath and coasters with similar restraints after a rider died and four others were hurt at the Cobb County park. Goliath and eight rides at five other parks remain closed while safety reviews continue.
Six Flags plans to add seat belts to Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia and to other roller coasters with similar restraints, following a fatal accident at the Cobb County park earlier this month.
Hassan Kariem died after falling from Goliath, and four other riders were injured. The ride remains closed pending safety reviews and clearances. Eight additional rides at five other Six Flags parks are also temporarily closed as a precaution, the company said.
Six Flags said it has hired independent engineers and ride-inspection specialists to review safety procedures across its parks. The company said it will assess their findings and determine what further measures are needed.
Robert Niles, editor of ThemeParkInsider.com, said seat belts can take extra time to fasten and release, which may affect how quickly parks move riders through queues. But he said the fatal incident could lead parks to reconsider whether existing restraints provide enough protection.
The company said safety procedures include ride maintenance, inspections and operator training. It said operators receive classroom instruction, hands-on training and supervised on-the-job experience.
Some parkgoers welcomed the planned change. “It’s going to be a lot more comfortable now because that should have never happened in the first place,” said Six Flags patron Zoey Schlapman.