Indiana State Fair Amusement Ride Safety Checks Performed

There are 57 rides at the Indiana State Fair this year, all of which need to be inspected before fairgoers can ride them.

Matthew Cronley from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security says ride inspectors pay close attention to what they call “safety items.”

“Today what we are really looking for are more the life safety items,” he says. “If it clicks, or if it buckles, we want to make sure that all of those actions take place, they just don’t pull apart. You actually have to press the button or release the buckle for it to actually disengage.”

A ride accident at the Ohio State Fair two years ago left one teenager dead and others severely injured raised concerns about the safety of state fair amusement rides.

Cronley says they are confident about their safety procedures. There have been no major ride accidents in Indiana in recent years. The Indiana State Fair runs through Aug. 18.