Accident’s Important Legacy

The anniversary of the fatal accident at Disneyland’s sailing ship Columbia finds matters in the hands of lawyers, where they often reside in the aftermath of tragedy. The death of a passenger who was standing on the dock when a cleat tore loose and struck several people has come down to the negotiations over the size of the settlement for his survivors.

None of that will bring back the husband of Lieu Thuy Vuong, who herself has undergone a year of anguish and surgery. But it has been an important time for the public in getting needed reforms.

The accident served to call attention to the status of legislation to improve the state’s inspection of theme parks, and this perhaps is the most significant legacy of the accident. Many were not aware that the state had no inspection plan for theme park rides, or even that parks did not have to file accident reports. Efforts to make progress on that front appeared to have stalled, and there was little industry enthusiasm for really independent oversight.

After a long debate in the legislature, Gov. Gray Davis signed legislation in the fall that created the first state inspection program for theme parks. It sets statewide safety standards for rides and requirements for accident reporting of inspections, which are crucial elements in having a strong program. Other states have such legislation. It was time California did too. The new law goes into effect in 2001.

Closer to home, the attention prompted tightening of standards for the park itself. The park was forced to evaluate safety procedures on all rides. It also took steps to reinstate the practice of having lead ride operators, who act as foremen, and who had been mostly phased out. A new system was put in place for the Columbia to improve communication.

This accident was a call to tighten procedures for oversight locally and at theme parks around the state. The year anniversary shows that needed progress has been made.