Six Flags is adding seat belts to some of its roller coasters following the death of a rider earlier this month.
The new safety changes to rides across the country come after an October 12 incident in Georgia in which a 42-year-old rider named Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was apparently ejected from his seat on the Goliath roller coaster, resulting in his death. Four other riders were also reportedly injured.
“We are reinforcing safety precautions at our parks and taking additional measures, including adding seat belts on Goliath and other coasters with a similar restraint,” John Reilly, president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corp., said in a statement.
The Goliath—which rises to 200 feet and can reach speeds of up to 70 miles an hour—is one of nine rides across five parks that are temporarily closed as safety investigations proceed.
According to PBS, all nine rides feature similar clamshell restraints and were manufactured by the same company, Swiss roller-coaster design consultancy Bolliger & Mabillard. The restraints consist of a vertical metal bar between the rider’s legs and a locking lap bar that rests across the thighs to hold them in place.
A timeline for when the rides will reopen has not been established yet, Kristin Fitzgerald, Six Flags’ director of public relations and communications told Fast Company.
“The timing of when these seat belts will be installed may vary by attraction based on the reviews, engineering requirements, availability of components, and applicable approval processes,” Fitzgerald added. “We will not reopen an affected attraction until the necessary work and reviews associated with that ride have been completed. We will provide park-specific updates as information becomes available.”
Other non-Six Flags amusement parks have proactively closed down rides with similar restraints to the Goliath, including one at La Ronde in Montreal, Canada, and another at SeaWorld Orlando in Florida—although that park has since reopened the ride.
