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Super Death Speed Roller Coaster Is Shut Down for Snapping Backs and Bones In Japan

Billed as the fastest-accelerating roller coaster in the world, an amusement ride in Japan at Fuji-Q Highland Park has caused at least six riders to suffer bone fractures after reaching “super death speed.”
Do-Dodonpa Fastest Roller Coaster 6 photos
Photo: Fuji-Q Highland
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A release posted by the operators of Fuji-Q Highland’s Do-Dodonpa roller coaster say that as a result of the injuries, they’ve “suspended for the time being” operations of the wild ride. They say the shutdown will last indefinitely from August 12, 2021 “due to a safety overhaul.”

“At our Attraction ‘Do-Dodonpa-Fastest Roller Coaster’, a total of four injuries have been reported by passengers who boarded between December 2020 and August 2021,” reads the release. “Currently, the causal relationship between injuries and amusement machines has not yet been confirmed. We would like to express our deepest sympathies to the injured customers and cause a great deal of inconvenience to them, but we will endeavor to investigate the cause under the guidance of the government.”

VICE says that a spokesperson for the park told them that it was in fact six riders who suffered back and neck fractures.

In operation since 2001, the lunatic ride goes from 0 to 112 mph (180 kph) in just 1.56 seconds, and that means the coaster is “the fastest-accelerating roller coaster in the world.” According to the officials at the park, this marks the first time riders suffered broken bones since Do-Dodonpa entered service 20 years ago.

Both Fuji-Q Highland and the builders of the ride, Sansei Technologies, offered their apologies to the injured riders, but both say they’ve baffled as to the cause of the sudden havoc.

Just for comparison, the ride’s peak acceleration clocks in at north of three times the force of gravity. If that doesn’t mean much to you, it’s essentially equal to the G-forces endured by astronauts at launch.

A major Japanese newspaper reported that one of the riders who reported being injured admits she may have been leaning forward during the ride. But nevertheless, injuries like hers are incredibly rare. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions says the odds of being injured riding a roller coaster in a U.S. amusement park are around one in 15.5 million rides.
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