How can the public check the safety record of a ride, a park, or a carnival company?
It can be difficult for members of the public to know whether particular rides have been inspected and approved.
Most jurisdictions require some form of license plate or label. The educated patron can check that these plates are there when they are supposed to be, but this can be difficult when the plates are not in a visible location. In Ontario, members of the public and event organizers can currently search a listing of registered operators on the TSSA website which indicates the Ontario registration status of their rides.
The media is probably the best way for the public to know of accidents in a carnival or amusement park. Media reports of injury can be searched on the Internet. Government data on accidents is not generally available to the public. Even if this information became available, it could be of limited value. The public is usually not in a comparison-shopping position when the carnival comes to town.
What also often happens with accident reports in general (not just amusement rides) is that good businesses report and businesses that are less interested in safety are also less interested in reporting accidents.
Given all the variables involved, you may get a more accurate impression with a good critical look at the ride and the operator than from a review of reported injuries. Look at it, listen to it. If it doesn’t look or sound right, trust your instincts. You don’t have to ride it.