To help ensure that parents and children have a fun and safe time at this year's spring festivals, and on sumer vacations. LLR's Office of Elevators and Amusement Rides offers these tips:
- Use safety equipment, such as seat belts, shoulder harnesses, lap bars and chains when provided.
- Stay seated until the ride comes to a complete stop.
- Always read and follow all posted and oral instructions given to you, especially if you have medical conditions or are pregnant.
- Always wait for the attendant to help you off the rides.
- If you notice a ride attendant not paying attention to the ride, they probably aren't, and you should bring it to the attention of a supervisor.
- Look for the posted State of South Carolina Amusement Device Permit.
- Look where you are going; most accidents at the festivals and on vacations are trips and falls.
- Observe age, height and weight restrictions. Requirements may be different for each ride. • Keep hands, arms and legs inside the ride at all times.
Parents also should consider the following safety tips for children: - Make sure children wear closed-toed walking shoes, and clothing and hairstyles that won't catch in ride machinery.
- Encourage children to make thoughtful decisions about which rides to try. Suggest that they watch the ride and check out riders getting off the ride. Do they look happy? Scared? Dizzy? Bored?
- If your child is going off with a group of children, talk about what a child should do if another misbehaves on a ride or starts pressuring anyone to go on a ride.
- Talk to your child about what to do if they get frightened while the ride is moving. Tell them to call out to the ride operator in a loud voice. Reiterate that they must not get out of the ride until it comes to a complete stop.
Call the Amusement Ride office at (803) 896-7630 to report what you think is an unsafe condition or to make a complaint.