Zipline Injuries

The more ziplining becomes popular the more injuries are soaring.  A study shows that the rise between 2009 and 2012 rose about 50% where kids under the age of 9 rose about 45% of that number.  Most of the injuries were broken bones, fractures and about 10% of the injured needed to be hospitalized.  Most of the injuries occurred by hitting a tree, hitting the zipline structure or just by falling off the zipline from a very high height.  A lot of the injuries are bruises, bumps and scrapes.  Some injuries occur to the neck and head where it will take a long time to recover.  Most people believe that if you are wearing a helmet that you are safe, injury can occur even then.  It all depends on how you fall.

The number of zipline companies has been rising in record numbers in the last 20 years, from about 10 commercial outfits to a whopping 13,000.  Most of these ziplines follow the safety rules and regulations, but some don’t.  There are states that have standards in place, but they are not universal to all states.