World’s Fastest Roller Coaster Is On Pause After Riders Suffer Broken Bones
Image via Nikm / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
The world’s fastest-accelerating roller coaster, located in Japan, has been halted after multiple visitors reported broken bones from the ride. The Do-Dodonpa, claimed to run at “death speed,” is in the country’s popular Fuji-Q Highland Park.
Since December, at least six people have suffered bone fractures after riding the coaster, a park spokesperson told VICE. Four of them broke their necks or backs.
Just how fast does the “death speed” coaster go? Well, this 20-year-old ride goes from zero to 112 mph in just 1.56 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating roller coaster on Earth. However, it seems authorities are baffled by recent reports of injuries, saying these are the first cases of riders breaking any bones aboard the coaster.
In 2017, the ride was made even faster, bringing the top speed from 107 mph to 112 mph. Even then, there seemed to be no reports of serious injuries, including any bone fractures, till December 2020.
According to Fuji-Q Highland, no technical issues were spotted upon the park’s initial investigation. The coaster’s manufacturer, Sansei Technologies, had also apologized to the injured riders, though it said it didn’t know the cause of the fractures.
Image via Funk Bass / Wikimedia Commons (CC 3.0)
When VICE spoke to Naoya Miyasato, an architecture professor at Nihon University who specializes in roller coaster designs, he said suffering broken bones on rides was unheard of.
“Roller coaster designs must all abide by government-approved standards, so the fact that there are multiple similar accidents is unusual,” Miyasato said.
Although an official reason for the injuries has yet to surface, the professor theorizes it could be due to the ride’s incredibly quick acceleration. At its fastest, the attraction’s acceleration reaches more than three times the force of gravity—which is the same G-force astronauts experience during a rocket launch.
Another possible reason could be that the injured riders were seated improperly during the experience.
Miyasato explained: “If they detected no serious concerns with the actual ride, then it could be the way people were sitting. But if a person was sitting incorrectly, say with space between their backs and their seat, it’s the responsibility of the park employees to check.”
If you’re off to a theme park soon, don’t fret. Accidents on roller coasters are extremely rare. In fact, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions say the likelihood of a serious injury on a roller coaster in the US is one in 15.5 million rides. Just remember to buckle up and sit correctly!
[via Vice, images via various sources]
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