Who develops child safety standards for amusement rides?
ASTM International oversees a volunteer committee that drafts, debates, and adopts consensus safety standards for U.S. amusement rides. Most of the 400+ members of the ASTM F-24 committee work for the industry in some capacity. The industry’s design standard, ASTM F2291, grandfathers older ride designs in perpetuity. Since rides can have an operational life of 50 years or more, the level of safety-by-design provided to child riders varies widely depending on the age and type of ride, the manufacturer, the company operating the ride, and any state/local regulations. Parents are an important part of the child safety system for amusement rides. Don’t assume an industry standards organization will safeguard your child. Industry and regulators count on parents to protect children from dangerous amusement ride experiences. To learn more, visit the For Parents page.
