Installing safety nets on Golden Gate Bridge linked to 73% decline in suicides

Early evidence suggests that safety nets installed on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco have effectively reduced the number of suicides at the bridge.

The findings, published online in the journal Injury Prevention, reveal a 73% decrease in suicides in the 12 months following the completion of the nets compared to before their installation.

The researchers emphasize the importance of installing barriers like safety nets to prevent suicides by jumping.

The Golden Gate Bridge, a San Francisco landmark, has unfortunately been a known location for suicide jumps. The safety nets were finished in January 2024 amidst controversy, but their effectiveness had not been studied until now.

To assess the impact of the safety nets, researchers analyzed suicide rates at the bridge before (January 2000 to July 2018), during (August 2018 to December 2023), and after (January 2024 to December 2024) their installation.

They also looked at the number of interventions by third parties to prevent suicide, as staff and volunteers at the bridge are trained to intervene in cases of crisis.

Over the study period, there were 681 confirmed suicides and 2,901 interventions by third parties.

Before the safety nets, there were 2.48 suicides per month, during installation 1.83, and after installation 0.67. Suicides decreased by 26% during installation and by 73% after installation.

Interventions by third parties increased from 8.22 per month before installation to 14.42 during installation, and then to 11 after installation. The number of interventions rose by 75% during installation and by 34% after installation.

The decrease in third-party interventions after net installation could be due to fewer people attempting suicide by jumping, resulting in fewer opportunities for intervention, according to the authors.

The study acknowledges limitations such as having only one year of post-installation data, possible misclassification of suicides as accidental drownings, and the inability to assess displacement effects or substitution to other suicide methods.

However, the study provides clear evidence that the safety nets at the Golden Gate Bridge have significantly reduced suicides at the site.

The researchers emphasize the importance of barriers in preventing suicides at high-risk locations worldwide.