![Inflatable Attractions Come Out for Summer, Many People Not Aware of Risks](/images/articles2/Children-bounce-house-article.jpg)
Bouncy houses are not known for being particularly dangerous, but according to reports, they come with some risks, including a risk of becoming airborne. USA Today (7/6/11) reported on an accident at a youth soccer tournament in 2011 in which three inflatable attractions flew off the ground, with 13 people injured, including a mother who had one of the inflatables land on her, resulting in head and spinal injuries.
In the same article, USA Today noted that in two months alone, at least 10 inflatables across the US were either taken out by wind or collapsed under too much weight. Those incidents resulted in injuries to 40 people. Jim Barber, a spokesperson for the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials referred to inflatable attractions as “probably the most dangerous amusement devices they have.”
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In 2010, a man at a Cleveland Indians game was pinned when an inflatable slide collapsed on him. He died days later from his injuries.
More recently, researchers at Ryerson University in Canada found that more children suffer injuries on inflatable attractions than on roller coasters. According to researchers, of hospital ER injury reports linked to amusement rides gathered by the US National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), 42 percent of injuries were linked to inflatable attractions whereas 20 percent were linked to roller coasters.