Man Dies After Riding Roller Coaster at Walt Disney World
Today, a man died after riding the Expedition Everest roller coaster at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom. The 44-year-old man was unresponsive when the ride was over. He was given CPR and pronounced dead at a hospital. Apparently, he had no visible signs of injury. An autopsy will be conducted to see if the man had pre-existing medical conditions. Disney claims that the Expedition is working properly, but has closed the ride temporarily.

This is another sad story, that’s unfortunately becoming all to familiar. There have been a number of similar incidents involving heart attacks on roller coasters in the past couple of years. This could be another case. The man’s fitness and overall health likely caused this tragedy. Either way keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

The full story is at the Orlando Sentinel
To watch a video of Expedition Everest see my Top 3 Disney Coasters post.

Are Roller Coaster Accidents More Common Today?
I sometimes wonder if theme park accidents are really that much more common these days or because of the Internet, and availability of information, we’re just being exposed to every instance. I’m sure there are some stats out there on the Web to show prove or disprove an increase in accidents.

It’s not like roller coasters are becoming more dangerous. They’re doing a better job than ever of giving an illusion or perception of danger (see Kingda Ka), but coasters are still the safest mode of transportation by a long shot. I broke down the chances of dying on a roller coaster in my Hulk Saves Woman post.

What do you think about this latest accident at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Will the number of accidents in the past few years keep you from riding roller coasters? Leave a comment below.

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