World's Fastest Roller Coaster Pauses Due to Recent Injuries

For over 20 years, thrill-seekers have flocked to Japan's Fuji-Q Highland to ride the Do-Dodonpa, the world's fastest roller coaster. Exactly how fast? It hits speeds of 112 mph in just 1.8 seconds. However, something seems to have changed in the last six months, as the coaster was shut down earlier this month for inspections after at least six passengers reported injuries and fractures from riding this supposed-to-be-safe attraction.

Since December 2020, six passengers aged 30 to 50 have reported broken bones in their chest, back, and neck — a first in nearly two decades. Experts were stunned by the sudden spike in injuries and wondered if an adjustment made to the coaster three years ago, which increased the maximum speed from 107 to 112 mph, was a factor.

The only recorded incident during the coaster's entire operational history occurred in 2007 when a man in his 30s suffered a minor injury after a plastic cover from the front of the train broke loose and hit his knee.

Preliminary inspections found no technical issues with the ride. Manufacturer Sansei Technologies issued an apology to the injured passengers but acknowledged the cause remains unknown.

Roller coaster injuries are rare. Naoya Miyasato, an architecture professor at Nihon University specializing in roller coaster design, mentioned in an interview that such injuries could result from the ride's rapid acceleration. At its peak, the Do-Dodonpa's acceleration is three times the force of gravity. "If a rider can't withstand this acceleration, it might lead to injury. That seems to be the issue here," she said.

Miyasato speculated that the injuries might be linked to how passengers sit: "If no major faults are discovered with the ride itself, it could be that the seating posture of the passengers led to these injuries. If a person is not sitting correctly, say with a gap between their back and the seat, it's the responsibility of park staff to guide and correct them."

Local media also report that one injured passenger was sitting with their chest forward during the ride, contrary to the requirement to lean back and minimize the gap between the back and the seat as much as possible.