Johan Fredin-Knutzén

Suicide is the dominant cause of railway-related deaths in Sweden, accounting for about 90% of the cases. The remaining incidents are classified as accidents, with unknown but non-suicidal intent. Suicidal behavior also underlies a large share of the delays reported as “trespassing on tracks.” The government has set an interim target to halve the number of fatalities on the railway by 2030, and suicide prevention is a critical part of this effort. Sweden also has a new national strategy for mental health and suicide prevention, where restricting access to lethal means – such as the railway – is highlighted as a priority area. The strategy emphasizes the importance of collaboration between multiple societal actors, with the Swedish Transport Administration being one of the agencies assigned a specific mandate. International experience shows that physical measures can reduce the number of suicides. In the Netherlands, ProRail has reduced suicide numbers by about 30%. Swedish pilot studies conducted by the researchers behind this proposal have shown that barrier fences and end-of-platform fences at stations in Stockholm have not only reduced suicides but also decreased track trespassing, delays, and train-person collisions. Together, the results indicate that suicide preventive measures both save lives and strengthen the robustness of the railway. The overarching aim of the project is to generate new knowledge about measures that can effectively reduce the number of suicides in the Swedish railway system and other rail-bound transport. The project directly contributes to the transport policy objectives: the safety objective, that no one should be killed or seriously injured in traffic, and the functionality objective, an efficient and punctual railway service. It also relates to Vision Zero, where railway suicides represent a central challenge. By preventing suicides and other train-person collisions, the project contributes to social sustainability and improved public health, while at the same time creating a more robust and reliable railway. The project intends to strengthen the scientific foundation for suicide prevention and provide knowledge that enables the Swedish Transport Administration and other actors to prioritize measures in a resource-efficient way.