After Six Flags Roller Coaster Death, Critics Call for Federal Oversight

It was the kind of horrific accident that calls out for an explanation.

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, 42, was thrown from his seat and fell to his death on Monday while riding Goliath, Georgia’s tallest roller coaster and the centerpiece of the sprawling Six Flags theme park just outside Atlanta.

State authorities, as well as the Cobb County Police Department, are investigating, but the question of accountability is complicated: There is no single federal agency that is responsible for enforcing safety standards for rides like Goliath.

Instead, regulations vary from one state to the next, and the amusement park industry has for decades fought against changes to strengthen federal oversight.

In Georgia, annual inspections are overseen by the state’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. The office has said it “maintains extensive safety requirements” and annual inspections, which “include reviews of required documentation, mechanical conditions, safety equipment and the safe operation of rides.” Goliath passed its most recent inspection on March 16.

The office is now investigating Mr. Kariem’s death, which it says will include a full review of records. Damon Ballard, the deputy chief of police for Cobb County, said at a news conference on Friday that the state’s findings would determine whether criminal charges are filed.

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, an industry group, said that many states draw on the same established standards for amusement park safety. In North Carolina, the State Department of Labor oversees amusement park safety. Ohio relies on its Department of Agriculture, and Connecticut uses its Department of Consumer Protection.

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