Optimizing suicide and trespass prevention on railways: a problem-solving model from the RESTRAIL project

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Transportation Safety
• Accident Prevention

Background:

• Suicides and trespassing incidents account for 88% of all fatalities on the EU railway system, totaling over 3800 deaths annually.
• A significant portion of railway-related fatalities stem from preventable incidents, highlighting the need for structured intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, multistep problem-solving model for analyzing and addressing suicide and trespass-related issues on railways.
• To detail the design, evaluation, and improvement process of this problem-solving model.
• To demonstrate the model's utility for decision-makers in selecting optimal prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

• Development of a six-step problem-solving model for railway suicide and trespass incidents.
• Integration of checklists with prompting questions and answers for each action within the model.
• Evaluation and iterative improvement of the model's design and application.

Main Results:

• The problem-solving model provides a structured framework for analyzing complex railway safety issues.
• Checklists within the model facilitate a systematic approach to identifying and evaluating potential solutions.
• The model is designed to enhance decision-making processes for selecting effective prevention measures.

Conclusions:

• The proposed problem-solving model offers a valuable tool for railway safety management.
• Its structured approach and detailed checklists can significantly aid in reducing fatalities from suicides and trespassing.
• The model's usability supports informed selection of optimal prevention strategies, contributing to enhanced railway safety.