New research project to strengthen suicide prevention in rail transport
A new research project at the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (NASP) will investigate measures used to reduce suicides on the railway and metro systems. The project has a total budget of SEK 5 million, will run from 2026 to 2030, and is funded by the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket).
The project aims to generate knowledge about the effectiveness of suicide prevention measures and how different interventions can be prioritised more accurately in practice. The goal is to strengthen the scientific evidence base for suicide prevention in the rail environment and, in the longer term, contribute to fewer suicide deaths and suicide attempts, improved safety and service reliability.
Sweden’s rail system provides strong opportunities to study suicide prevention measures in real-world settings. Vision Zero in transport also encompasses suicide prevention in these environments, and national targets to halve the number of fatalities by 2030 have contributed to the implementation of multiple measures by the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) and Region Stockholm’s Public Transport Administration (SL). Studying these measures also creates conditions for research that is relevant beyond Sweden.
Several measures will be evaluated
The project includes several different studies, many of which focus on evaluating measures that have already been implemented or are planned in rail-based transport. These include AI-based video analytics for detecting suicide risk behaviours on platforms, helpline signage for people in mental health crisis, measures at level crossings, security fencing, enhanced safety communication, and platform barriers of varying heights.
In addition, the project includes systematic reviews of previous research in the field.
Examining both safety outcomes and operational impacts
The studies will primarily track outcomes such as suicide deaths and serious suicide attempts. In some studies, train–person collisions without suicidal intent, unauthorised track access (track trespass), delays and cancelled trains will also be analysed. This will provide a broader picture of the potential impact of the measures from both a public health and a socio-economic perspective.
The project builds on previous collaboration between NASP, Trafikverket and SL. Earlier pilot studies have indicated that physical measures in station environments can reduce suicides, track trespass, train–person collisions and service disruptions.
Helping to protect people in acute crises
Suicide is the most common cause of death in rail-based transport. In Sweden, this accounts for around 90 per cent of cases. These incidents have severe consequences for the individual, people close to them, train drivers, passengers and others.
Suicide prevention in rail environments often involves restricting access to high-risk locations and creating opportunities to interrupt acute situations. Suicidality can fluctuate sharply over short periods of time, which means that measures that delay, deter, redirect, or enable others to intervene can be of major importance.
A key premise of the project is that suicide prevention is not solely a matter for health and medical services. Suicide is often caused by multiple interacting factors, which means that actors in areas such as transport, urban planning and safety/security can also contribute to prevention efforts.
Results intended for practical use
“My hope is that the project will contribute knowledge that can be useful for stakeholders working with suicide prevention in rail-based transport. Suicide prevention is about reducing suffering and creating better conditions for people to get through acute crises,” says project leader Johan Fredin‑Knutzén, Phd Student at the Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, KI. “Because suicidality can shift rapidly, it can be crucial to interrupt the suicidal process when a person is at their most vulnerable. At the same time, suicide prevention must be understood as a broad public health effort, where measures in the rail environment are part of a larger whole. Our hope is that the project will help ensure that interventions in rail-based transport are used where they can do the most good in preventing suicides.”