Bungee Jumping
Most people are probably already aware of the obvious dangers and risks associated with bungee jumping. When you sign up to do the bungee jumping ride at an amusement park, you also sign a waiver that you are assuming the risks and dangers that come with this activity. However, there may be some things that this waiver does not include. For example, if you fall out of your harness because an employee was being negligent and not paying attention, that does not fall under the foreseeable risk that you agree to take.
At Lake Compounce in Connecticut, there is a ride similar to bungee jumping call the Sky Coaster, where one to four people lay down and are harnessed. They are brought to the top of a tower and then release themselves from a connector and free fall until they reach the end of the bungee and fly back and forth in the air. Knowing the risks before going bungee jumping or going on the Sky Coaster ride at Lake Compounce is important.
Risks
Before you or your children go on a bungee jumping ride, be aware of some of the possible risks:
- Harness, safety straps, belts, or latches failing to work
- Bungee cords getting tangled
- A cord can snap
- Cords not secured properly
- Miscalculations leading to cords that are not strong enough, hitting something on the way down
Though very rare, these mistakes can happen and can be very serious or fatal. Unfortunately, most amusement parks that contain these bungee jumping rides do not have landing mats or anything below the jumper to soften the landing of falling. This is why the staff that work bungee jumping rides are trained to take all safety measures and double check everything. Unfortunately, even when they take precautions, they can make mistakes.
Luckily, the risk of death from bungee jumping is about 1 in 500,00. However, non-fatal injuries can be much more common. One common non-fatal type of injury to be aware of is neck injuries, due to straining the neck during the jump. Another injury is damage to the eyes, due to the rush of blood that rushes to the brain after drastic changes in air pressure. Lastly, compression fractures and herniated disks can occur in the spine due to the force at which the body springs back up from the cord.
Be Prepared
Before taking the jump, make sure you are aware of some safety measures you can take:
- Disclose height, weight, and health issues as accurately as possible before riding
- Watch a few jumps before going to make sure the staff and ride is running smoothly
- Take everything out of pockets, take off jackets and hats, and tie up long hair
- Look at the bungee cords to make sure they are not faded in color, have any small tears, or look worn out
- Before releasing the lever or jumping, make sure all latches and cords are secured to you
- After jumping, try to keep your head, neck, back, and limbs in line with each other
Another important element that is worth mentioning is that if you or a loved one goes bungee jumping and experiences minor pain in the head, face, neck, or back; go to the doctor and get it checked out immediately. In some instances, bungee jumpers have suffered serious injury, but did not feel intense pain until the next day.
The next time you or your loved ones decide to consider bungee jumping, remember the safety precautions above and follow your intuition! If you do not feel safe or comfortable, it is probably best that you do not go. Sometimes feeling anxious or stressed can cause you to tense up and risk injury as well. If you or someone you know has suffered an injury or wrongful death due to bungee jumping, please contact us for assistance.
