The fastest-accelerating roller coaster in the world has been suspended until further notice, after multiple customers reported broken bones from the ride.
Built in 2001, the ride goes from 0 to 180 kilometers (or 112 miles) per hour in 1.56 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating roller coaster in the world. But the park said it was the first time riders broke their bones on the ride since it went into operation two decades ago.
In 2017, the ride was even modified to bring the top speed from 172 kilometers per hour to 180, but the park said there were no reports of serious injuries, including bone fractures, until December.
Although the Japanese government hasn’t found the reason for these injuries, Miyasato said it could likely be an issue with the roller coaster’s rapid acceleration. At its peak, the ride’s acceleration is more than three times the force of gravity—that’s comparable to the G-force experienced by astronauts during a rocket launch.
“If a rider can’t withstand the acceleration, then they sustain injury, which could be what’s happening here,” he said.
But in addition to the coaster’s rate of acceleration, Miyasato said that the way riders sit may be an issue.
Statistics from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions show that the likelihood of being seriously injured on a roller coaster in a U.S. amusement park is about one in 15.5 million rides.
-Vice World News
