The Texas Giant, a rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Texas, has reopened after being closed for almost two months after a woman was killed when she fell off the ride, according to CNN.
The rollercoaster reopened on Saturday with improved safety features, as well as long lines of riders, who began lining up at 10:30 a.m. According to the CNN affiliate station WFAA, the lines were still there in the evening.
The safety measures include a test seat at the ride's entrance that allows riders to voluntarily check how well they fit into the seat. Cars also have a new "T-bar" restraint that goes on along with the seatbelts, according to WFAA. There is also a diagram that shows the correct way for the bar and the belt to fit on the rider.
"You can tell they're being extra-careful," a rider told WFAA of park officials.
The Texas Giant closed on July 19, when Rosa Esparza, 52, died when she fell out of a car during the ride. Her family filed a civil wrongful-death lawsuit on Tuesday, which accuses Six Flags of negligence.
The lawsuit states that Esparza's daughter, who was riding in front of her mother, heard screams and turned around to see her mother being thrown out of the car. She was thrown against the ride and landed on the metal roof of a tunnel, and died of traumatic injuries.
"As Rosa Esparza's tragic death starkly illustrates, errors on the part of the Six Flags Defendants turned a thrilling illusion into a nightmarish reality," the lawsuit reads. "Customers of the park expect mock scares and delighted screams as they ride the Texas Giant roller-coaster, but they certainly do not expect to be placed in any real danger, whatsoever."
A statement released by park officials revealed no mechanical failure on the ride, but declined to release additional information due to pending litigation.
"While our thoughts and prayers remain with Ms. Esparza's family and friends, there are a number of inaccuracies contained in the recent lawsuit and we intend to defend ourselves vigorously," Sandra Daniels, a spokeswoman for Six Flags, said in a statement.
The ride is 14 stories high with a drop of 79 degrees and a bank of 95 degrees, according to Six Flags.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
