Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced on October 23, 2026, it will install seat belts on the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia and other rides with similar restraint systems, less than two weeks after 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem died on the ride. This safety upgrade will affect Goliath and at least eight other Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoasters across Six Flags parks in the U.S. and Canada.

This decision signals a major shift in ride safety protocols for one of the largest amusement park operators, potentially influencing industry standards and bringing new scrutiny to the existing patchwork of state-level safety regulations.

What the records show

The Goliath roller coaster, a Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) hypercoaster that opened in 2006, reaches heights of 200 feet and speeds up to 70 mph. Its restraint system consists of clamshell-style lap bars without an additional seat belt. The Cobb County Police Department's Major Crimes Unit and the Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire are investigating the incident. A March 16, 2026, inspection of the Goliath coaster reported no violations, but included a note to “replace bushings”.

The timeline

What changed and for whom

What the subject has said publicly

What we could not confirm