Fair ride safety precautions - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

County fairs around Central Indiana are already in full swing and more start this coming weekend. One of the big attractions for the fairs are the rides, but how do you know if they are safe?

Ride inspectors say to use common sense: if something does not look or sound right, it probably is not, and you should and avoid the ride. You can also look for stickers which indicate the ride has been inspected at least once in the past year.

It is not just the ride you to need to be aware of, State Fire Marshall James Greeson said you also need to make sure the operator is paying close attention and is present the entire time the ride is in motion.

"I can tell you that no operator wants to see a child or someone get injured on their rides, so for the most part, they do a very good job of ensuring that these rides are set up properly but it just takes a moment of not paying attention for something to happen."

Keep in mind also, unlike amusement park rides, fair rides are mobile. They are disassembled and reassembled multiple times every year and inspectors aren't there every time.  Greeson said, for the most part, these rides are very safe but if something does not look or sound right there likely is some kind of problem.

"We find very few, what we would call 'life safety issues'. We may find some minor lose bolts or something like that that needs to be corrected but for the most part, they're professionals when it comes to putting them up and taking them down," said Greeson.

When at the fair, always use provided safety equipment, make sure children follow the rules, and if a ride looks or sounds bad, do not ride it.

If you think something does not seem right, you can always call 888-203-5020 to report issues with rides, and be as specific as possible so an inspector can know what to look for.