The Most Dangerous Amusement Park Rides

Theme park rides have a way of spiking our adrenaline levels and tricking our bodies and brains into thinking we are in extreme danger. Unfortunately, for these rides, we are actually in danger.

Action Park, aka "Accident Park" was known as one of the most dangerous waterparks ever. It consisted of the Cannonball Loop, the Wave Pool, Alpine Slide and the deadly Kayak Experience.

Some of the rides on this list are commonly found in carnivals and fairs, while others are in theme parks.

According to BUSTLE, "oversight organizations like the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System does not track deaths, though data from 2013 suggests as many as 4,400 children sustain injuries on amusement park rides per year."

You may want to think twice about riding on these awe-inspiring, adrenaline pumping, scary and dangerous amusement park rides.

During this ride a group of passengers are seated into a circular rubber dinghy and are spun through a serious of rapids. There are usually no safety bars or seat belts. In some cases, there is even a wheel in the middle that allows passengers to take control and spin themselves. Injuries are common on this ride.

Wave pools have been known for their increasingly common dangers. In many cases, it was suspected that the fans controlling the waves were up too high, ultimately resulting in a very dangerous attraction. For instance, Action Park opened one of the first wave pools in the country in 1979. On opening day, it was estimated approximately 100 swimmers had to be rescued from the wave pool.

Kingda Ka is the adrenaline junkies dream ride – no loops or spins, just a fast speed up the track and an almost completely vertical drop down. It is known as one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the world. Riders have claimed to have lost control of their facial muscles.

The Waltzer ride is commonly found at fairs. It consists of a number of cars that rotate around and spin freely. The only protection you have is a safety bar over your lap. Click here to see the ride in motion.

Log Flumes are one of the most common, yet dangerous amusement park rides. There are usually no safety belts to hold the rider in as they plunge down into the water. Studies have shown there have been approximately 72 incidents involving log flumes.

The Cannonball Loop was a ride situated in Action Park. It was a looping waterslide (a perfect circular loop), with a small enclosed tube and high g-forces. It is said the amount of force was enough to literally break a person's neck – this may have been the reason for the countless injuries.

We see it at carnivals and amusement parks all over the country. The Mind Scrambler spins carts past one another, at different directions, at extremely close proximity. In 2004, a 7-year-old girl died after being thrown from the ride in Rye Playland. Safety precautions were put in place after the accident.

Live Science explains that "according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 10,000 go-cart injuries to children 15 and younger occur each year." Exposed gas tanks, engines, machinery and no protection of the arms, head and legs are just some of the many dangers to watch out for.

Hop in the cage, strap yourself in a harness, and endure a 75 mph freefall from 160 feet up into a net. Now if that is not dangerous, I'm not sure what is. There was an incident where a girl was dropped too early and landed directly on the ground. She suffered spine and skull fractures. Scientists have actually used this ride to study the nature of fear in humans.

Some amusement parks took the meaning of thrill rides to a whole new level and chose to operate them in the dark. This is intense, as it scares riders and keeps them anxious because they never know what is going to happen next. Other than the fact that riders experience a state of anxiety and fear, it has also been said that injury-related incidents are common.

Alpine slides are located all over the country. They are fun and exciting but also extremely dangerous. Riders follow one another through the slide and control their own speed using the handles on their cart. That being said, the chances of you crashing into the person in front of you are high. A review on Trip Advisor said: "my hand brake wasn't working and I had to roll off to keep from hitting the woman in front of me at full speed. I still hit her but at least it wasn't as bad. You also need to be aware that there is no safety equipment. Nothing for your head or to protect your back. So if someone crashes into you, chances are their sled is going right into your lower back."