Six Flags Great America to Add Seat Belts to Raging Bull Following Fatal Roller Coaster Accident in Georgia

GURNEE, Ill. — Six Flags Great America is preparing to install additional safety restraints on its popular Raging Bull roller coaster following a fatal accident involving a similar attraction at Six Flags Over Georgia earlier this month.

The decision comes after 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta died on October 12 after being ejected from the Goliath roller coaster at the Georgia amusement park. Authorities reported that Kariem struck other passengers before falling beneath the ride. Four children were also injured in the incident.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Raging Bull, one of Six Flags Great America’s most recognizable attractions, has remained temporarily closed since the incident. Both Raging Bull and Georgia’s Goliath were manufactured by Swiss roller coaster company Bolliger & Mabillard and feature similar padded lap-bar restraint systems.

Six Flags officials confirmed that additional seat belts will be installed on Raging Bull, supplementing its existing restraints. The company also plans to make similar modifications to Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.

Six Flags President and CEO John Reilly announced that the company is strengthening safety precautions across its amusement parks while cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

The company has also enlisted independent engineers and ride inspection specialists to evaluate existing safety procedures throughout its parks.

For visitors to the Gurnee amusement park, the closure affects one of its signature attractions. Opened in 1999, Raging Bull stands 202 feet tall, stretches more than 5,000 feet and reaches speeds of approximately 73 miles per hour.

There is currently no confirmed reopening date. Six Flags says the timeline will depend on engineering evaluations, equipment availability, installation requirements and regulatory approvals.

The Illinois Department of Labor is also expected to reinspect Raging Bull before the attraction is permitted to reopen.

With Six Flags Great America’s seasonal operations scheduled to conclude November 1, it remains uncertain whether Raging Bull will operate again before the end of the 2026 season.

Although the modifications are being implemented as an additional safety precaution, investigators have not established whether the restraint system contributed to the fatal Georgia accident.

Six Flags says affected attractions will remain closed until the required safety modifications, inspections and reviews are completed.

Pulse Radio 96.1 will continue monitoring developments affecting Six Flags Great America and the surrounding Lake County community.