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Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia will get seat belts before it runs again

Six Flags says Goliath and rides with similar lap bars will get seat belts before reopening after a 42-year-old educator was killed in a fall this month.

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Red and blue Goliath roller coaster hills rising above green trees at Six Flags Over Georgia

Goliath will not carry riders again at Six Flags Over Georgia until the coaster is fitted with seat belts.

The change follows the death of a rider who was thrown from the coaster earlier in October.

The company's plan

Six Flags chief executive John Reilly laid out the move in a statement on Friday. Belts are coming to Goliath plus other attractions in the chain that use the same style of restraint.

Reilly said Goliath "remains closed pending necessary safety reviews and clearances." Eight more rides spread across five other parks are also shut for now as a precaution, he said.

He also stressed that guests can still visit. "Our parks remain open, including throughout Halloween weekend, with more than 220 roller coasters operating across our parks," he said.

Why the rides went dark

Hassan Kariem came loose from his seat during a ride on Goliath. He was flung from the train and hit the track several times before he died.

Following his death several parks around the country paused high-speed coasters that rely on comparable lap bars.

A family in mourning

Kariem was an educator. He was just 42.

His relatives say he was buried earlier this week.

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