Tyler’s Law Makes Ohio Amusement Rides Safer

When Amber Duffield said goodbye to her 18-year-old son, Tyler Jarrell, on July 26, 2017, she had no idea it would be the last time she’d see him. Tyler was in a hurry to get to the Ohio State Fair, and as he headed out the door, Duffield remembers handing him an empty Mountain Dew can.

“Our family would always take soda cans to the fair, because Pepsi products had fair coupons on the cans to save on admission at the gate,” she remembers. “Tyler was cutting it close on time as he was leaving to pick up his friend. I tried to give him the soda can, and he kept saying, ‘Mom, I got this. I got this.’”

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Tyler never came home. While riding the Fire Ball thrill ride at the fair, the row of seats he was sitting in broke off, flinging Tyler, his friend, and six other riders onto the midway. Tyler died at the scene. Seven other riders were injured.

“After being told Tyler wasn’t coming home, I knew we had to do something,” Duffield says. “I acted quickly. I knew I had to have strength for Tyler – also for the others. No one is prepared for these things to happen. I felt determined not to let this happen again – not to let Tyler’s death be in vain.”

Prevention is Key

Duffield worked with attorneys, state representatives, news media, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) to create Tyler’s Law – a new set of rules adopted in November 2020 that increases safety rules and regulations for amusement rides. Requirements include following ASTM safety standards, collecting information about the storage or use of rides outside of Ohio, and specifying the frequency of inspections (and the number of inspectors who perform them) based on the ride’s intensity.

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Tyler’s Law not only affects traveling rides but also Ohio zoos, amusement and water parks, zip lines, and more. David Miran, chief of the Division of Amusement Ride Safety & Fairs for ODA, says Tyler’s Law makes Ohio’s rides some of the safest in the country.

“Tyler’s Law especially addresses ride fatigue and corrosion,” Miran says. “What’s different now than in the past is that previously, if a ride owner saw a piece of metal with fatigue and corrosion issues, they might have chosen to wait until the end of the season to fix it. Tyler’s Law forces that ride owner to contact an unbiased third party, whether it’s the ride’s manufacturer or an engineer, to determine what the issue is and when it needs to be addressed – for example, not waiting, but fixing it right now.”

Long before the accident, Tyler expressed interest in committing his life to service. One week before he died, he enlisted in the Marine Corps.

“Tyler prepared me early that he would commit his life to service, even if it cost him his life. He wanted to serve and protect his family, community, and country,” Duffield says. “Unfortunately, it did cost his life. It just ended up being more local. Thanks to Tyler, Ohio rides will be safer not only for those who live here but also for those who visit our great state.”

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