The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office says there’s little the state can do to improve the safety of hayrides.
Lawmakers last year submitted several bills seeking to regulate farm rides after a 2014 hayride crash in Mechanic Falls killed a 17-year-old girl and injured more than 20 others.
The Sun Journal reports that a working group headed by State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas and Maine State Police Chief Robert Williams concluded that it’s not feasible to create new regulations because enforcement would require specialized inspectors skilled enough to evaluate a broad range of farm equipment.
The group agreed to create a list of safety recommendations for those who wish to conduct hayride amusement rides. There are between 250 to 400 motorized farm rides in Maine each year.
