Kathryn Woodcock

How can we improve amusement ride safety by influencing rider behaviour?

Rider behaviour is a top industry concern, consistently identified as a leading factor in many rider injuries. This research thread examines the extent of this contributing factor and explores ways to modify it.

• How common are rider errors?
• What are the precursors of those errors?
• How can rider errors be diminished or mitigated?
• Issues relevant to rider behaviour include frarmeworks to describe the behaviour, criteria for rider eligibility to ride, behavoural rules and warnings, restraints, and ride design influences.
• We have used SAMMIE CAD to model rider-seat interfaces and create some animations.This project is on hold pending personnel availability.
• Current work relates to development of rider-interface adaptations to alter behaviour.

The THRILL research program is supported in part by a Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

Content analysis of 100 consecutive media reports of amusement ride accidents

Woodcock, K., 2008. Accident Analysis and Prevention 40, 89-96.

Accident investigations influence public perceptions and safety management strategies by determining the amount and type of information learned about the accident. To examine the factors considered in investigations, this study used a content analysis of 100 consecutive media reports of amusement ride accidents from an online media archive. Fatalities were overrepresented in the media dataset compared with U.S. national estimates. For analysis of reports, a modified "Haddon matrix" was developed using human-factors categories. This approach was useful to show differences between the proportions and types of factors considered in the different accident stages and between employee and rider accidents. Employee injury accounts primarily referred to the employee's task and to the employee. Rider injury reports were primarily related to the ride device itself and rarely referred to the rider's "task", social influences, or the rider's own actions, and only some reference to their characteristics. Qualitatively, it was evident that more human factors analysis is required to augment scant pre-failure information about the task, social environment, and the person, to make that information available for prevention of amusement ride accidents. By design, this study reflected information reported by the media. Future work will use the same techniques with official reports.

Rider errors and amusement ride safety: Observation at three carnival midways

Woodcock, K. 2007.Accident Analysis and Prevention 39 (2007) 390�??397.

Over 5000 ride-exposures were observed at three carnival midways, with 103 ride installations. Rider and operator behaviour was observed and compared with posted safety regulations. The observed errors were analysed and clustered qualitatively and quantitatively. Rider errors were seen in 1.4% of individual ride-exposures, and little operator interception was seen. Most errors of both riders and operators were mistakes rather than slips or lapses, and many were violations. Qualitative typology based on error context indicated that social goals, sensory enhancement or convenience goals made sense of most mistakes. The most common single behaviour observed contrary to posted rules was leaning out or extending limbs. Future interventions should consider whether ride features could guide or support riders in achieving their goals rather than obstructing or prohibiting specific behaviours.