Innovative Approaches to Preventing Suicides at Jump Sites

"Some sort of physical barrier is needed to prevent suicides. The most obvious barrier is a tall railing that isn't easily surmounted. Examples are barriers on the Bloor Street Bridge in Toronto, Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. All three were frequent sites for suicide jumps, and the installation of tall railings has virtually ended suicides from these locations."

"Alternatively, a net such as the one on the Golden Gate Bridge can be effective. Prior to last year, there was an average of 30 suicides per year-more than 2,000 total-from San Francisco's iconic span. In 2024, when the net was completed, the number dropped to eight. This year, to date, the number is four, and none in the past four months.[1]"

Nearly one-fourth of suicides in New York City are jumps from a high place. Bridges and tall residential buildings can be made safer through physical interventions. Signage, surveillance equipment, and emergency phones have little effect on preventing jumps. Physical barriers such as tall railings and nets have proven effective at stopping site-specific suicides. Examples include railings on the Bloor Street Bridge, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Eiffel Tower, which virtually ended jumps at those sites, and the Golden Gate Bridge net, which reduced annual suicides from about 30 to single digits after completion. Hostile planting is an alternative where fencing is difficult.

Read at Psychology Today