Four ways to keep kids safe at carnivals.

So many of the carnivals we've been to with our kids have rusty, rickety rides that look like they're put together with bubble gum and rubber bands.

So we weren't entirely surprised that a carnival ride called the "Yo Yo" collapsed last weekend in California, seriously injuring 18 people. While witnesses say it appeared that ride was malfunctioning for hours, ride operators continued to allow carnival-goers to board the ride until this horrific accident occurred.

If you're planning to visit a carnival, fair, or amusement park this season, here are some important tips from Safeparks.org that you should take into account before allowing your child to go on a ride.

Never board an amusement ride that looks poorly maintained.
If you see or hear something that causes you to worry about the mechanical safety of an amusement ride, report it immediately to the ride operator or to guest services.

Look for a state inspection sticker on the ride.
This may not be easily accomplished, and certainly doesn't guarantee safety, but it does show you that the ride has been inspected. (Just ask the ride attendant where it can be found.)

Never throw or drop anything off an amusement ride, deliberately swing the cars, or change seats mid-ride -- even on a very tame one.
Dropped articles can become lodged in the machinery. Swinging or rocking a Ferris Wheel car can press the rider's weight too strongly on the lap bar, and cause it to open. Patrons have been seriously hurt this way. Moving around in a moving car causes weight shifts that can unbalance the car.

If you have children, teach them the danger of tinkering with amusement rides.
Teenagers have been known to take connectors and pins out of the cars in which they're riding. What might seem like minor vandalism to a 14-year-old boy can turn deadly if the pin happens to be holding part of the ride together.

Do you let your kids go on carnival rides?