|
|
|
Press ReleaseThursday, April 13, 2000 |
Contact: Sally Greenberg |
WASHINGTON, D.C - Sally Greenberg, senior product safety counsel
for Consumers Union, made the following statement today in support of
a bill in Congress (H.R. 3032) sponsored by Rep. Ed Markey of
Massachusetts to improve safety at amusement parks:
"What do amusement parks promise consumers? Entertainment. A
good time for ourselves and our families. Amusement parks promise
amusement.
"But there is nothing amusing about the safety problems at
amusement parks. There's nothing amusing about the increase in the
number of injuries. And there's nothing amusing about the shoddy
inspections and spotty records that keep us from preventing these
problems.
"We believe that evidence shows that amusement parks are not as
safe as they could be or should be. The Consumer Product Safety
Commission estimates that hospital emergency rooms treated 9200
people for ride-related injuries in 1998. That's an increase of 24
percent in just four years.
"Yet it's difficult to get a complete picture of how safe
amusement parks really are because the rules are so lax in certain
states. While some states are very thorough, others don't even bother
to inspect the rides or require the operators to report any injuries.
On the federal level, there is no oversight of amusement parks at
fixed locations, and there is only limited federal regulation of
travelling carnivals.
"Clearly, we need tougher regulations that apply to every state.
That's why Consumers Union supports the bill sponsored by Congressman
Markey. It would broaden the Consumer Product Safety Commission's
oversight to cover the rides at fixed sites. Federal officials would
be allowed to investigate accidents at parks and order safety
repairs. The safety commission would act as a clearinghouse for
information about rides that have problems.
"Consumers Union is sending a letter to congressional leaders
today to ask them to support this legislation and hold hearings as
soon as possible. Time is of the essence since summer vacation is
just around the corner. The longer Congress waits, the greater the
risk of another tragedy that could have been prevented.
"The amusement park industry is a ten-billion-dollar business that
attracted over 500 million visitors last year. The rules to protect
those visitors are so wildly inconsistent that it should be clear to
anyone that we need federal action. Congressman Markey's bill is
definitely a step worth taking."
Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, is an independent, nonprofit testing and information-gathering organization, serving only the consumer. We are a comprehensive source of unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health, nutrition, and other consumer concerns. Since 1936, our mission has been to test products, inform the public, and protect consumers.
