Posted
According to an article on USA Today, the Web site Saferparks.org is calling for stronger federal regulation of amusement parks.
A fair amount of the author's argument centers around rider responsibility and and responsible ride operators. That's very true, but if we could legislate against stupid people, the world would be a better place.
The fact is, we don't need a federal agency to regulate an industry that does a good job of regulating itself. It's obviously in the parks' best interests to have a clean safety record, because doing otherwise would lead to higher insurance premiums and lower profits, not to mention a public relations nightmare. Thanks, but I'd prefer my tax dollars not be spent on yet another agency that can't provide me with any more protection than what already exists. Accidents caused by people will always happen, and that's unfortunate, but I'm more likely to die in my car on the way home today, and the transportation industry is one of the most heavily regulated out daily lives. More regulation doesn't always mean a safer environment.