This study by Mackenzie et al published in 2025 explored lived and living experience perceptions of what types of approaches are effective or ineffective in preventing suicides in a rail environment.
Several measures were identified and critiqued. These included strategies to challenge dominant cultural narratives around railway suicide (by shifting the focus from the lethality of this method to its impact on train drivers and others); environmental measures to restrict access to means and/or create a safer and more positive atmosphere; and increasing opportunities for help seeking and ‘helpful’ third-party interventions. The findings show the importance of comprehensive suicide prevention strategies targeting different stages of the suicidal process, see Figure 1 below.
The full study is available here.
Mackenzie, J, Marsh, I, Fields, B, Kruger, I, Katsampa, D, Crivatu, I, Marzano, L, 2025, Preventing suicides on the railways: learning from lived and living experiences, BMC Public Health, 25:1625
Updated January 2026