Six Flags to fit seatbelts on nine rides after fatal ejection
Six Flags says it will add seatbelts to nine rollercoasters after Hassan Kariem, 42, died when he was thrown from his seat on the Goliath at its Georgia park. The move is part of a wider review of ride safety following the incident, which also left four people injured.
The Goliath and the other eight rides are temporarily closed while checks take place. Six Flags chief executive John Reilly said the company is consulting independent engineers and ride inspection specialists. Investigators are examining the Goliath’s restraints, locking mechanisms and safety sensors; witnesses said they heard unusual clicking before the ride began, though the cause of the death remains under investigation.
In short
- Six Flags will fit seatbelts to nine rollercoasters.
- The change follows a fatal fall on Georgia’s Goliath ride.
- All nine rides are temporarily closed for safety reviews.
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The case for
Adding seatbelts to the nine rides could provide an extra layer of restraint and reassure visitors after a fatal ejection, especially while the cause remains under investigation. A precautionary review with independent specialists may help identify risks across similar rides before they lead to further harm.
The case against
The incident’s cause has not yet been established, so adding seatbelts across nine rides before the investigation is complete may not address the failure involved. A careful engineering review should guide any changes, since restraint modifications need to suit each ride and be assessed for their own safety effects.
Explained simply
Rollercoasters hold riders in place with restraints such as lap bars or shoulder harnesses. These systems are designed for each ride, and safety checks can include the restraints, their locks and the sensors that show whether they are secured.
Six Flags is a company that operates amusement parks, including one in Georgia where the Goliath rollercoaster is located. Ride inspections involve checking equipment and safety systems, sometimes with help from independent specialists.
The incident has drawn attention to how restraints are designed and checked across different rides. Investigators look at evidence from the ride and its safety systems to establish what happened; the cause has not been determined.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Six Flags adds important safety feature after teacher plummeted to his death on rollercoaster”.