Inflatable Issues

[The Interpreter]

One of the little known facts in the industry is how high the injury rates are on these things, and how little they are regulated. There are, incredibly, many parents who let their kids on inflatables when they would never let them near any carnival rides!

http://wcco.com/local/i.team.inflatable.2.868018.html

[tigellinus]

^^Are the injury stats better when they're rented for private birthday parties??

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

There's a site out there that monitors amusement park accidents and lists them (I can't remember the URL at the moment) but I remember looking through the site and was amazed at the amount of inflatable ride injuries and deaths around the world. Most of them seem to be the results of tip overs and high winds.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

I remember being accidentally heel-kicked in the chin in one of those back in the 70s (a 'moonwalk' at a fair in Belleville, Mich.). There were maybe four or five of us bouncing around in there, and it got pretty chaotic. I don't know what safety improvements have been made to inflatables in the last 35 years, but I'm sure there are still a bunch of bumps and bruises on America's midways.