Critical ride inspection ensures safety at Lee County Fair

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- A Southwest Florida tradition is underway. The Lee County Fair opened Thursday for a 10 day run.

it takes place at the Lee Civic Center on Bayshore Road and State Road 31.

It features lots of shows, animal exhibits, finger food, and breath-taking rides!

Hop on Air Race, a new ride this year at the fair! But how do you know it’s safe?

Ensuring ride safety is the job of inspectors like Ron Jacobson. He works for the State Department of Agriculture which oversees carnival and fair rides.

He’s been at the fair since Monday, checking the 44 rides.

Florida has some of the toughest ride inspection laws in the country. They’re designed to prevent the kinds of tragedies that have occurred in other states, where rides malfunctioned, and people were hurt or killed.

An inspector looks at the rides, at every stop as the carnival moves around the state.

Every assembly of a ride, means a new inspection.