1. Avoid rides with total darkness. Roller coasters that take you into darkness are dangerous because you can't anticipate which direction it will turn next. This could cause you to sustain a whiplash. That's what happened to me. The whipping action caused me to have a cerebral spinal leak.

2. Brace Yourself. The tremendous force of a ride can easily harm your delicate neck or fragile brain. Even if we are strapped in securely, our insides still move. Even with good head restraints, we get rattled mercilessly. That's why it's wise to brace your body and head during the ride.

3. Keep your head forward. Turning your head could cause the worst closed-head injury. Sometimes Moms and Dads turn their heads to the side to keep a watch on their children. If the coaster lurches or jolts, you could sustain serious injury. If you are at the top of a crest and turn your head to look off to the side to enjoy the view, this too could cause serious injury if the coaster at that moment bolts suddenly.

4. Be aware of rising stress levels. In a study by S. Pringle in 1989, the heart rates of 13 roller coaster riders were tested. Portable cardiac monitors were worn and showed that within 8 seconds, every rider's heart rates had peaked. Their heart rates jumped to 154 beats per minute, up from an average of 70 beats per minute, suggesting that one who is at-risk could be subject to a cardiac episode.

5. Be aware of higher G's. Many roller coasters have higher G-forces (force of gravity) than a space shuttle launch. Several sources of literature state this. Astronauts and fighter pilots wear special suits to prevent the pooling of blood that occurs with high G's. Even though their G's are sustained for a longer period of time, there is no data that states how long these particular coasters hold their G's for and what tolerance children may have to it. Everyone is different and various factors could apply that would render one person unconscious while another is unaffected. These various factors may refer to age, medications, pre-existing conditions, congenital defects, or people who are physically challenged.

6. Beware of sudden starts and stops. The ride may start abruptly, move forward smoothly, then jerk forward. At the end, the ride may stop but may not really be over. Be aware that the ride could start moving again and catch you unaware so that your head may snap back and injure your neck. Watch for your small child trying to get out of the ride prematurely and see that their hands and feet are in until the end. Wait until you are directed to exit.

7. Be aware of sharp turns. Some rides have sharp turns, drops, or jerking up and down motions. This could cause inertial neck or head injury. Inertia in this case is when the body continues to move until acted upon by a directional force.

8. Be aware of medical risks. Many people have pre-existing conditions they are not even aware of, such as an aneurysm or a heart condition they don't know about. Some may say, "It wasn't the roller coaster that burst the aneurysm, it could have happened anywhere." That may be true, but the roller coaster had the power to burst the aneurysm, and did just that. Regardless, the person is dead.

9. Don't assume your safety is assured. The CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has no authority at theme parks to cite a ride for safety design flaws or "fix-its" when there is a problem. They only have jurisdiction with amusement carnivals that fold up and move from one town to the next. Rides that are permanently fixed to the ground, as with theme parks, are exempt from oversight by the CPSC. The theme park industry lobbied for this loophole in 1989, and it has been so ever since. Some theme parks police themselves, regulations vary from park to park and from state to state. There is no national watchdog for all theme parks.

10. Theme parks would like to keep accidents secret. After all, they are running a multi-billion dollar a year business. In many states accident reporting is not mandatory, even if someone dies.

Bottom line: A roller coaster or thrill ride may only last a minute and a half, but the effects may last a lifetime, or be fatal. No ride is worth losing your life or health. Your mom was right when she said, "It's better to be safe than sorry."