Six Flags Roller Coaster Deaths, and the Warning Signs Missed

Last week, a man on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia died when he was ejected from the ride — a death that follows a pattern of apparent safety incidents on Six Flags roller coasters nationwide. A recent CNN investigation into Six Flags Magic Mountain, located just north of Los Angeles in Valencia, exposed serious safety concerns surrounding X2, one of the park’s most popular roller coasters. Over its nearly two-decade run, the ride has been linked to more than a dozen severe hospitalizations and two deaths, including riders who suffered severe brain hemorrhages. Six Flags officials have since closed the coaster — plus 10 others related to the subsequent Goliath incident. We’ll speak with a CNN reporter who broke the X2 story, and look at why apparently dangerous rides weren’t shut down sooner.

Guests:

• Kyung Lah, senior national correspondent, CNN
• Dr. Nitin Agarwal, associate professor of neurological surgery at the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University School of Medicine, acting chief and education director, neurological surgery, Veteran Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System
• Dr. Calvin Kuo, assistant professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia