My 17 year old son was planning to go to a trampoline park and we had a thorough discussion about the hazards involved. What we found is that this park is full of serious hazards and is woefully unregulated. It opened in May and by the Independence Day weekend, one ambulance service alone had reported making seven emergency trips.
What are the injury rates? The web site for this particular facility includes a chart showing that the rates are low. But where did this data come from and what does it mean?
This chart attributes the data to a
2002 journal article on organized team sports with no mention of trampolines, let along trampoline parks. So where did this rate come from? Based on a recent
Augusta Chronicle article, we can be sure it was not from a reliable industry account. In most states, these facilities are not even required to report accidents. How could they be expected to have reliable statistics? How many kids leave without at least minor ankle and wrist sprains? How about concussions?
We have anecdotal reports on many severe injuries including severely broken bones and paralysis. A report from Scotland is particularly horrendous. The Virginian Pilot assures us that the pediatrician's viewpoint is decidedly negative.
The company clearly spends a lot of effort convincing potential customers of its safety. Right up to the time when the parent is presented with an agreement to release the trampoline park from liability for their negligence leading to serious bodily injury, permanent disability, paralysis and loss of life.
My personal pinnacle of outrage was reached when I read (in the above linked Augusta Chronicle article) that these facilities do not need to even comply with any national standards. The libertarian argument to non-regulation is that companies will, quite voluntarily in their own interests, comply with standards to ensure their customers safety and protect them from liability. But in fact, all they have to do is keep the abattoir aspect of the business quiet while the customers sign airtight liability waivers.
If my son were younger I would absolutely not allow him to go to this park. But I am letting him go because he planned it for weeks with his friends and he's almost legally an adult. He's going to stick to activities he feels safest doing and I feel pretty good about him doing that. If you have kids who want to go or if you are considering the activity yourself, please consider these risks very carefully.