Santa Cruz is home to the famous Beach Boardwalk, as well as the famous roller coaster, The Giant Dipper, a Historical Landmark. With the recent accidents at amusement parks throughout the country, a new focus is on just how these amusement parks are regulated. There is no federal regulatory agency that monitors and regulates amusement parks, that is left to the States. Based on the information I have researched, it appears that every state is in charge of adopting their own regulations, with grave discrepancies between states as to the regulation of these rides (some states have no regulations).  California is one of the most heavily regulated states when it comes to amusement park rides.  Amusement parks, like the Beach Boardwalk, are regulated and monitored by the Department of Industrial Relations, specifically with the Amusement Ride and Tramway unit.  This unit has the power to conduct random inspections of existing rides, and is the unit in charge of approving or denying a new ride's application for use.

People have a right to safety on these rides, and the failure to provide for such safety, is negligence. If you have been injured on an amusement park ride, contact Santa Cruz Personal Injury Lawyer Michael Rehm to determine whether you have a valid claim of negligence. Free consultations are available at (831) 420-8082.