Whether you are a San Diego County resident with kids who enjoy zip lining, or if you live in another part of the country and are planning a trip with your family to an area of Southern California where zip lining is popular, it is important to understand that zip lining can come with injury risk. Indeed, zip line accidents happen more often than you might think, and these accidents frequently happen because of another party’s negligence. As an article in HealthyChildren.org explains, zip lines are a “common attraction at camps, amusement parks, and in backyards . . . across the U.S.,” yet not all zip lines are created equal in terms of their safety ratings.

Whether your kids are planning to zip line, whether it is close to home or on a zip lining adventure on vacation or at camp, you should learn more about the activity and ways to avoid zip line injuries.

Zip Line Injuries are Becoming an “Epidemic”

Zip lining is a popular activity in many parts of Southern California, and some people even set up zip lines in their own backyards. As zip lines become more popular with kids and families, the injury rate associated with zip line accidents has risen. According to Dr. Gary A. Smith, a former chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention, the number of zip line accidents that emergency room physicians and pediatricians are treating rises to the level of “an epidemic by any definition.”

As Dr. Smith emphasized, “many zip lines are not regulated, and there are no uniform safety standards.” Accordingly, there is a wide range of safety (and, on the flip side, risk) when it comes to zip lines.

Need for Better Zip Line Safety Training

Not only do parents need to be aware of who has created the zip line and who is running it, but they also need to be certain that their kids have the proper training to avoid a serious accident. Between 1997 and 2012, emergency departments treated almost 17,000 zip line injuries. That figure comes from a 2015 study conducted by Dr. Smith, who also determined that approximately 50% of all those injuries involved children under the age of 10. Then, about 33% of those injuries involved kids between the ages of 10 and 19. To put that information another way, more than 80% of all zip line injuries requiring emergency department visits affected kids.

According to Dr. Smith, “if kids are using [zip lines], you really need to make sure they’re using them in places where people are trained, they know what they’re doing, and the zip lines have been constructed in a way that they’re not going to fail.”

Tips for Parents for Zip Line Safety

What can parents do to make zip lining safer? The HealthyChildren.org article offers the following tips:

• Ensure that kids wear a helmet, a harness, and gloves;
• Require operators to be trained in safety protocols;
• Ask how often the zip line equipment is inspected and maintained (this should happen regularly);
• Only use zip lines that have safety rules and that require participants to follow those rules.

Contact a Valley Center Zip Line Accident Lawyer

If your child was injured in a zip line accident, a Valley Center zip line accident attorney may be able to help. Contact the Walton Law Firm for more information.

See Related Blog Posts: What Do Parents in Carlsbad Need to Know About Zipline Injuries? Amusement Park Accidents and Fatalities

(image courtesy of Perry Grone)

Ziplines are becoming more popular in Southern California and throughout the country at a wide range of locations, from outdoor education centers to local parks to summer camps. While children and teens might be excited to try ziplining, it is important for parents to recognize that zipline injuries are actually quite common, and they can be severe and debilitating. A recent study discussed in the Claims Journal indicates that the number of commercial ziplines has risen dramatically in the U.S. over the last two decades, from fewer than a dozen ziplines in 2001 to more than 200 as of 2012. That number does not even include the “more than 13,000 amateur ziplines found in outdoor education programs, camps, and backyards.”

We want to take a closer look at the study and provide key information to parents in Carlsbad about zipline accidents and risks.

Ziplines Pose a Serious Risk of Injury, Study Says

The key takeaway point from the study is this: As more ziplines have been created in the U.S. over the last two decades, the number of zipline accidents has also risen sharply. The study was conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy and at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The research appeared in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

Between 1997 and 2012, the researchers reported that approximately 16,850 nonfatal injuries connected to zipline use required treatment in emergency departments. Of those injuries, around 70%—or about 11,800 injuries—all occurred during the last four years of the study period. Looking only at the numbers in 2012, more than 3,600 zipline injuries occurred that required a visit to an emergency department. To put that number another way, about 10 zipline injuries occurred every day, on average, in 2012.

In other words, more zipline injuries are happening as more ziplines are developed. For California residents, the Department of Industrial Relations does require that ziplines undergo an inspection and meet certain equipment requirements. Anyone operating ziplines that can be defined as amusement rides must have a permit to operate a commercial zipline. Yet it is not clear whether these regulations are sufficient to keep zipliners safe from injuries.

Common Injuries in Zipline Accidents

In addition to assessing the rate of injury from ziplines, the study also explored the types of injuries that are most common in zipline accidents. Here is what the researchers determined:

• Falls are the most common reason for injury (77%);
• Collisions with trees and other anchor structures are the second most common reason for injuries (13%);
• Broken bones are the most frequent type of injury (46%);
• Bruises also occur with some frequency (15.2%);
• Strains and sprains can also be common (15.1%); and
• Concussions and other closed-head injuries occur in around 7% of all cases.

In around 11% of all zipline injuries, the patient requires medical attention at the hospital. Nearly half—45%—of the patients who were injured were children under the age of 10, while kids aged 10-19 account for 33% of those injured. To put that another way, nearly 80% of zipline injuries involve kids.

Seek Advice from a Carlsbad Zipline Accident Lawyer

Was your child injured in a ziplining accident? You should discuss your case with a Carlsbad zipline injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact the Walton Law Firm for more information.

See Related Blog Posts: Liability When Resort or Hotel Guests Get Hurt Amusement Park Accidents and Fatalities

(image courtesy of Anthony Delanoix)