Can Roller Coaster Building Materials Affect Injury Rates?
So many of us have experienced the thrill and excitement of a roller coaster at least once in our lives. And most of us who have can recall the experience in fairly great detail. One of the most common fan stipulation tips regards the difference between wooden-built and steel-built coasters is that wooden ones bring the thrill of danger, while steel brings the thrill of flying. While the experiences are certainly different with wood or steel construction in this case, one has to wonder why wooden roller coasters are becoming extinct. It cannot be because of age, since anything can be rebuilt or redesigned to safer or improved replication. Are steel coasters safer?
Roller Coaster Building Materials
The implementation of steel roller coasters coincides with the advancements of the rides themselves. They are longer, higher, and faster than they were thirty years ago, and are capable of more radical maneuvers. Existing wooden coasters are still very prevalent, but now boast steel reinforcement. The advancement of roller coaster building materials from wood to steel seems to show more of a hint of commercial improvement than physical safety. Some wooden coasters, like the “Leap-The-Dips,” at Lakemont Park in PA, are a century old.
Out of the yearly percentage of injuries and fatalities that result from roller coaster incidents, at least half of them are due to either health conditions or poor safety procedure during running time. For example, one incident at an Iowa theme park in 2006 was due to a board left on the track. In 1984 a boy was thrown from a coaster due to unsecured safety equipment. These incidents, while horrifying, are not caused by the coasters themselves. Although there have been construction causes for coaster accidents, not all are related. Aside from roller coaster building materials, it comes down to preference and thrill level for the rider.