Patterns of Suicide and Other Trespassing Fatalities on State-Owned Railways in Greater Stockholm; Implications for Prevention

Abstract

Each year, approximately 80–100 people are killed on state-owned railways due to train-person collisions in Sweden. Underlying causes are suicide and accidents; suicide constituting a vast majority. Earlier Swedish studies at a national level revealed a relation between population density and incident frequency, however, with places of occurrence often located to the outskirts of cities some distance away from station areas where victims can await approaching trains in seclusion. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this national pattern also applies to larger urban areas such as greater Stockholm, and to discuss preventative implications based on these observations. All registered incidents (N = 41) where people were hit or run-over by trains with a fatal outcome over the four-year period 2005–2008 were investigated. Results deviating from the national pattern include that most incidents occur at station areas, and that most victims enter the tracks from platforms. Passing express trains appear to be overrepresented, compared to commuter trains. Due to a low number of cases, our observations must be interpreted with caution. However, they imply that preventative measures in this type of area should focus on platform safety foremost, especially protection against rapid trains passing by station areas.

A systematic review of the literature on safety measures to prevent railway suicides and trespassing accidents

“…The safety operation of remaining LCs should be improved by ensuring appropriate physical conditions and sufficient warnings (Ozdo gan et al, 2006), as well as active warning devices (Evans, 2011;Savage, 2006). Redesigning LCs to increase visibility is recommended to prevent suicide (Rådbo et al, 2012) and trespass (Horton, 2009;Silla and Kallberg, 2012), allowing pedestrians to be detected more easily if they enter the tracks illegally from a LC. The least safe LCs -the passive ones -should be designed is such ways that pedestrians are able to judge whether or not it is safe to enter the tracks (BTRE, 2002).…”

“…Holdaway et al, 2012;Lindberg, 2012;Rådbo and Andersson, 2012), publications that provide some sort of recommendations and others focus on rich technical details, for example about the implementation of closed-circuit television (CCTV). In most cases the systems are recommended to detect (and sometimes warn) the persons at risk.…”

Atropelamentos ferroviários: uma revisão da literatura

“…A análise das estatísticas de acidentes ferroviários sugere que estes são mais propensos a envolver transgressores (isto é, usuários, pedestres ou veículos, que estão ilegalmente no corredor ferroviário) (PELLETIER, 1997;TERRY, 2003;LOBB, 2006;LUOMA, 2009 Embora acidentes relacionados a trens e pedestres sejam relativamente subdiscutidos, essas falhas constituem uma considerável parcela de mortes e ferimentos em acidentes relacionados a ferrovias (PELLETIER, 1997;TERRY, 2003, SILLA;LUOMA, 2009;LUOMA, 2012;ANDERSSON, 2012). Além disso, esses acidentes anualmente demandam bilhões de dólares em custos diretos e indiretos (GOLDBERG; MOOTHA; LINDSEY, 1998;TROTTENBERG;RIVKIN, 2013;SOUSA et al, 2014;ZHAO;IRANITALAB;.…”

“…Diante disso, esta pesquisa se concentra nos acidentes envolvendo pedestres e veículos ferroviários, ou seja, atropelamentos ferroviários. Embora esses incidentes sejam relativamente pouco discutidos (RÅDBO; ANDERSSON, 2012;ZHANG et al, 2018), constituem uma considerável proporção de mortes e ferimentos (PELLETIER, 1997;LUOMA, 2012;ANDERSSON, 2012;FRA, 2015;STEFANOVA et al, 2018;ZHANG et al, 2018).…”

Can CCTV identify people in public transit stations who are at risk of attempting suicide? An analysis of CCTV video recordings of attempters and a comparative investigation

“…A small percentage (14.5%) jumped in front of the train from a platform or ran in front of the train. Another study [6] found that 36% walked along the rails and 30% laid down on the rail, and another 30% jumped or ran in front of the train. In Finland, half of suicide attempters waited for the train on the tracks and 18% jumped or ran in front of the train [7].…”