The essentials
Goliath uses a waist restraint without a shoulder harness, and the cause of the fatal ejection remains undetermined.
Goliath has a waist restraint but no over-the-shoulder harness, a configuration now under examination after a rider was ejected from the Six Flags Over Georgia coaster in Austell. Investigators have not determined the cause of the incident, and several other parkgoers were injured.
The ride passed its most recent state safety inspection with no violations. An earlier 2026 inspection, however, noted that the coaster's bushings needed replacement. Some riders who used Goliath earlier on the day of the incident raised concerns about its restraints, though the connection between those concerns and the outcome has not been established.
Six Flags has announced seat belts for Goliath and other coasters with similar restraints. All nine Six Flags coasters closed since the incident use the Bolliger & Mabillard design and clamshell restraints. Whether the restraint configuration contributed to the ejection remains unresolved.
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Engineering questions center on waist restraint without shoulder harness
The restraint question focuses on how Goliath's waist-only system compares with designs that include over-the-shoulder harnesses. Six Flags' decision to add seat belts to Goliath and similar coasters indicates the company is reviewing that configuration. Investigators have not yet identified the cause, so whether restraint design contributed to the ejection remains an open question.
Inspection records show clean state review alongside earlier bushing concern
Goliath's most recent state safety inspection recorded no violations, while an earlier 2026 inspection noted that bushings needed replacement. Riders who used the coaster earlier on the day of the incident raised restraint concerns. How these records relate to the ejection has not been established, and investigators have not determined the cause.