A pair of tires that flattened on the east side of the float landed Boos in that frightening position.
Just a guess here, but the wreck might have come out of designing it with thoughts of "it'll be ok, we're going slow".
It's because of something like this that I opted not to build mounts for a roofrack into mine - a solar panel is about all the weight I want up there...
I thought was a bit funny:
"Now, Slidell municipal officials are considering making pre-parade float inspections and on-board safety features such as harnesses mandatory."
Inspections I agree with, NOLA could set the precedent for a 'building code' for floats since you folks are known for the parades. Maybe a few pre-engineered framing plans for those uncomfortable with framing up their own ?
From the wreckage, it looked like there was no real framing to hold up the roof - that pile should have looked like a Jenga game gone bad had it been built like a stage.
Harnesses, though ?
They are a hazard when your anchor points give way as well....