1. Road Safety Suicide Prevention
Felicity Clayton
&
Nicola Tweedie

2. Why is suicide prevention a road safety issue?
“Suicide is everybody’s business”
Government strategy calls for a multi agency approach
Network Rail have shown that it can work in the transport sector
Incident numbers

3. What do we know about suicides?
Preliminary findings..
Majority males between
Regional differences
Different access to means
However, we also know..
1 in 5 adults have had suicidal thoughts - it could happen to anyone any time.

4. Challenging beliefs
“What can we do, it’s not in our control…can we really make a difference?”
Yes! Intervention can stop suicidal thoughts
“If they are determined, they are going to do it anyway..”
Intervention gives us an opportunity to help
“We’ll only move the problem to another location…”
Research evidence suggests that this isn’t true. 

5. So what have we done? Listened Ensured senior support
Understood our priorities
Set out our approach
And then….
Listened – samaritans, national rail, expert panel, own staff
Senior support – needs leadership and culture to flow from the top
Such a big area; focus on what you can change
Published our strategy

6. Data What is happening, where, when and why? Highways England Police
Coroners
ONS
Local authorities
Network Rail

7. Embedding the Approach
Safe systems
Incident and casualty reduction plans
Regional partnerships and local authority multi-agency approach
Monitoring and taking action

8. Taking action - Infrastructure
Site specific
Limit access & opportunity
Signpost support
Change the environment
Work together
Site audit
Risk assess
Toolkit

9. Taking action - People Culture Human intervention Training Support
Breaking down myths or prejudice
Empowering people to act
Human intervention
The most effective intervention
Training
Awareness & more
Support
Recognising the impact on our people

10. What have we learned? What can you take with you?
We’re not the experts
Culture is key
Senior support
Clear strategy
Get the basic right
Work together
What does ‘human intervention’ look like?
We’re still learning but some important points to take with you.