Six Flags is adding seatbelts to some roller coasters after a rider died in Georgia. The move comes as the theme park chain faces lawsuits tied to ride safety and more questions about how well it keeps guests safe.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, died after he fell from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell. The coaster is the tallest in the state, and it had used clamshell-style lap bars to hold riders in place.
Goliath remains shut while crews prepare to add belts. The ride had passed a state safety check before the fatal fall. Cobb County police and state officials are still probing the case.
John Reilly, president of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, says the parks brought in outside experts to check each ride. Engineers and safety staff will review the sites, and the firm plans to act on what they find.
Two more coasters are set to get belts. Nitro is at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. Raging Bull is at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, near Chicago.
Beyond Goliath, eight more rides remain closed across five parks. Those sites span Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada. The chain has not said in this update when those rides will open again.
Here's the thing. No federal agency has full control over safety rules for fixed-site rides of this type in the U.S. State and local officials play a key role, and the fatal case has put that system under fresh public focus.
Even before Kariem's death, Six Flags had faced questions over injuries and ride risks. The new belts mark a clear change, but the broader safety reviews may lead to more steps.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, died after he fell from Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell. The coaster is the tallest in the state, and it had used clamshell-style lap bars to hold riders in place.
Goliath remains shut while crews prepare to add belts. The ride had passed a state safety check before the fatal fall. Cobb County police and state officials are still probing the case.
John Reilly, president of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, says the parks brought in outside experts to check each ride. Engineers and safety staff will review the sites, and the firm plans to act on what they find.
Two more coasters are set to get belts. Nitro is at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. Raging Bull is at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, near Chicago.
Beyond Goliath, eight more rides remain closed across five parks. Those sites span Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada. The chain has not said in this update when those rides will open again.
Here's the thing. No federal agency has full control over safety rules for fixed-site rides of this type in the U.S. State and local officials play a key role, and the fatal case has put that system under fresh public focus.
Even before Kariem's death, Six Flags had faced questions over injuries and ride risks. The new belts mark a clear change, but the broader safety reviews may lead to more steps.
