How to Stay Safe on Roller Coasters
Roller coasters are a perennially-popular funfair and fairground ride that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. There are huge rollercoasters for teens and adults that evoke white knuckle and thrill rides, as well as smaller kid-friendly versions such as the Apple Coaster. However, whether they're a children's funfair ride or one for older thrillseekers, the rollercoaster is a safe ride that can be enjoyed in confidence. Just stick to a few essential safety rules and you'll have no problems!
Roller Coaster Safety Tips
Stay Inside the Carriage at All Times
Keep your body inside the roller coaster carriage while the ride is in motion. You should only stand up and leave the carriage when the funfair ride has come to a complete stop. Resist the urge to raise your hands in the air - hold on to the safety bar, instead.
Take a break between rides
Avoid jumping from rollercoaster to rollercoaster, or riding the same rollercoaster repeatedly without a break. Give your body the chance to stretch and recover from the unusual forces and strains it's been under.
Only use reputable funfair ride operators
If you don't feel comfortable about a funfair ride, then don't use it. If the funfair attendant appears to be intoxicated, or if the ride doesn't seem to have been well-maintained, give it a miss. You will want to use companies that keep their roller coasters and funfair rides at a high quality, and that have insurance and all relevant safety documentation. In the UK, you will want to use a funfair operator who is part of the ADIPS scheme.
Pay attention to any height and weight restrictions
These restrictions are in place for your safety. The guard rails, safety bars or harnesses may not fit you properly if you are too large or small for the roller coaster. Please don't take offence if the funfair operator tells you that you are not able to ride!
Secure loose items
Empty your pockets and take off your glasses and any headwear. It's best to leave these loose items in a bag at the rollercoaster platform, or to hand them to a friend, but if this is not possible, keep them in a zipped or buttoned-up pocket. Don't take any loose items such as handbags or purses on to the roller coaster. You should also remove loose clothing that may get caught in the mechanics of the ride, such as scarves and ties.
Do not ride rollercoasters if you have certain pre-existing health conditions
Typically, rollercoasters should not be used by people who have broken bones, pregnant people, people with heart disease or cardiovascular issues, people recovering from surgery, people with epilepsy, and people with neck or back conditions.
Listen and adhere to all operator instructions
The funfair ride operator will have been fully-trained on the safe use of the roller coaster and will know the ride inside and out. Almost all rollercoaster injuries are a result of rider error.
Sit up straight
Sit properly in the rollercoaster seat. You don't want to be twisted around, as this may make the safety features less effective. Keep your head facing straight forwards to avoid neck injuries.
Stay out of restricted areas
Roller coasters - even children's roller coasters - have restricted areas, which are usually hidden behind a fence. Do not climb over fences or attempt to enter restricted areas. If you need to recover something from a restricted area, such as lost property, inform the ride operator, who should be able to safely retrieve your items on your behalf.
If you have any more questions or would like more roller coaster safety tips, please contact us!
Roller Coaster Safety Starts Before You Take Your Seat
Roller coasters are designed to create speed, height and changing forces, which is exactly why following the ride rules matters. Staying safe begins before the train leaves the station: read the posted restrictions, listen to the operator, make sure the restraint sits correctly and do not board if you know the ride is unsuitable for you.
If you want to understand the mechanics behind these attractions, How Does a Roller Coaster Work? explains how the ride moves, while What Are the Forces Experienced on a Roller Coaster? looks more closely at the physical forces passengers feel during drops, turns and inversions.
Pay Attention to Height, Health and Restraint Requirements
Different roller coasters have different operating requirements. Minimum height limits, seating positions and restraint systems are linked to the design of the attraction, so they should never be treated as optional.
Parents and carers may find How Tall Do Children Have to Be for Fairground Rides? useful, while Funfair Ride Health Restrictions and the Equality Act explains more about passenger suitability, health considerations and access.
If an operator decides that a restraint cannot be secured correctly, or that a rider does not meet the attraction's requirements, they may have to refuse access. Refusing Access to Funfair Rides explains why these decisions are sometimes necessary.
Keep Your Body in the Correct Riding Position
Once seated, stay in the position intended by the ride design. Keep hands, arms, legs and feet where instructed, and do not attempt to loosen, lift or interfere with restraints during the ride.
Modern and traditional roller coasters can use very different layouts and train designs. Our ride range includes attractions such as the Apple Coaster - Family Roller Coaster, Mine Train - Runaway Train, Train Rollercoaster Ride and Go Gator Children's Roller Coaster, so the instructions given for one coaster should not automatically be assumed to apply to another.
Do Not Try to Beat the Safety System
A restraint, height restriction or operator instruction is there to be followed, not tested. Trying to sit differently to pass a height check, forcing a restraint into position or ignoring staff instructions can undermine the safety measures built into the attraction.
The same principle applies to bags, phones, loose clothing and other belongings. If the operator tells you an item cannot travel with you, follow that instruction. Loose objects can become a problem when a ride accelerates, changes direction or travels at height.
Know When Not to Ride
Sometimes the safest decision is simply not to board. If you feel unwell, dizzy, faint, severely anxious or otherwise unable to ride comfortably, there is no benefit in forcing yourself onto an attraction.
Anyone concerned about nausea can also read How to Cope with Motion Sickness at the Fairground. For nervous younger riders, How to Help Nervous Children with Funfair Rides provides a more suitable guide than pressuring a child to take part.
Choose an Attraction That Matches Your Confidence Level
Not every roller coaster is designed to deliver the same intensity. A family coaster can provide a very different experience from a major thrill attraction. If you are unsure what type of ride is suitable, our Different Types of Roller Coaster guide explains some of the main coaster formats.
You can also browse children's thrill rides, family funfair attractions and rides and thrill and white knuckle funfair rides to see how attractions can vary in pace and intensity.
Trust the Operator If a Ride Stops
A roller coaster stopping unexpectedly can be unsettling, but a stopped ride does not automatically mean something has gone wrong mechanically. Safety systems and operating procedures can cause attractions to stop for a number of reasons.
If this happens, remain seated and follow staff instructions rather than attempting to leave the ride yourself. What Causes a Funfair Ride to Stop? explains some of the reasons amusement rides may stop during operation.
Weather Can Affect Whether a Roller Coaster Operates
Outdoor attractions operate in real weather conditions, so wind and rain can affect whether a ride continues running. If an operator suspends operation because conditions have changed, that decision should be respected.
For more information, see How to Keep Funfair Rides Safe in Windy Conditions and How to Prepare Funfairs for Adverse Weather. Our Rainy Weather FAQs also cover common questions from event organisers.
Roller Coaster Safety Also Depends on Inspection and Maintenance
What passengers see during a ride is only the public-facing part of a much wider safety process. Amusement equipment is subject to inspection, maintenance and operational checks throughout its working life.
If you are interested in that side of roller coaster safety, read How Funfair Rides Are Tested for Safety, What Is the ADIPS Scheme?, Non-destructive Testing of Funfair Rides and Funfair Ride Periodic Maintenance.
Advice for Event Organisers Hiring Roller Coasters
If you are arranging a coaster as part of festival hire, council and local authority events, company fun days and corporate events or another large public event, passenger safety should be considered alongside access, queueing, layout and emergency planning.
Our How to Perform a Funfair Ride Risk Assessment, How to Place Funfair Rides Around the Site and How to Manage Queues at Funfairs guides provide useful additional reading for organisers.
More Roller Coaster and Fairground Safety Guides
For more coaster-specific information, see Rollercoaster FAQs, How Do Rollercoasters Go Upside-Down Without Falling Off?, What Is the Best Seat on a Roller Coaster? and What Is the History of the Roller Coaster?.
You can also read Are Fairground Rides Safe?, What Are the UK's Safety Standards for Fairgrounds? and How We Are Tricycle Protects Your Health And Safety for broader safety information. Our Guides section brings together further advice on rides, testing, accessibility, event planning and operation.
If you are considering roller coaster hire or other fairground rides for an event, contact us to discuss the options available.