The first roller coaster in the United States to loop upside down tucked riders by twos into bench seats, secured them with a single seat belt and subjected them to an estimated 7.5 times the force of gravity (some say it was closer to 12 g). The Flip Flap Railway opened in New York City’s Sea Lion Park in 1895, where the roller coaster reportedly strained backs, wrenched necks and dazzled spectators until the park closed in 1902.

Now, roller coaster safety is in the news again. In September, three lawsuits were filed against Six Flags and ride manufacturer S&S Global, alleging that riders sustained “catastrophic” brain injuries on the roller coaster X2 at California’s Magic Mountain theme park. These are just the most recent cases related to the ride, filed after a CNN investigation found dozens of injuries on X2 leading to hospitalization, disability and death.…