Who doesn’t love a bounce house? Turns out the answer to that might be everyone.
A new study reports that bouncy houses, a mainstay at birthday parties, town fairs and backyard events, are responsible for 28 deaths and 479 injuries that occurred during 132 wind-related bouncing incidents .
The research looked at wind-related bounce house events and tracked when weather affected bounce house safety. The results are puzzling.
This study tracked deaths and injuries from bounce houses and concluded that even in non-severe wind conditions, bounce houses can blow over or overturn, causing death and injury.
The study’s lead author at the University of Georgia, John Knox, said the data shows that bounce houses are safe for anyone, especially children.
“The bottom line is that bounce houses can capsize, overturn or become airborne in light winds, and it often happens during what most people would call ‘good weather,'” he noted.
The study says that all kinds of wind events, including surprise storms, dust storms like those that commonly occur in the Southwest, cold fronts and non-severe wind gusts, caused the bounce houses that followed they roll up or move away.
Bounce houses, the study reports, have also blown up in incident studies and hit bystanders, who were injured.
Knox experts related details in a bounce house incident in 2019. Six children died and three others were injured after a gust of wind sent the bounce house flying more than 30 feet into the air.
Another problem with bounce houses, as most parents know, is that a child (or anyone) can fall and hurt themselves or break their arms or legs, among other things.
Based on this data, it looks like it’s time to deflate that bounce house and find some real new fun for the kids.
Experts say that if you hire specialists to anchor your bounce house to the ground, it can be safe.
To read the full study, click here
