"From the time it opened in 1937 to 2024, a period of more than 85 years, the Golden Gate Bridge was the number one suicide site in the world. Confirmed suicides topped 2,000; the real number is likely higher, as other deaths were left unconfirmed-often because a body wasn't recovered or it was recovered too far away to be connected with certainty to the bridge."
"In 2024, a marine-grade, stainless-steel net was installed under the bridge to prevent suicides. This was after public debate for decades over whether there should be any kind of physical suicide deterrent. Opponents voiced three main arguments: Installing a net or a taller railing would be expensive. It would spoil the beauty of the bridge. It wouldn't be effective because someone intent on suicide would just kill themselves another way."
"Studies find that 90% of people who survive a suicide attempt don't go on to kill themselves. In one study, 94% of people who were stopped from jumping off the Golden Gate didn't go on to die by suicide. There were 2,000 suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge before a net was installed. Since the net was installed, suicides have dropped dramatically; there have been none since May 2025."
From 1937 through 2024, the Golden Gate Bridge was the world’s leading suicide site with confirmed suicides exceeding 2,000 and likely more unconfirmed cases. A marine-grade stainless-steel net was installed in 2024 after decades of public debate over a physical deterrent. Opponents cited cost, aesthetics, and the claim that determined individuals would use other methods. Decision-makers contrasted those costs with other bridge safety spending and existing fencing. Studies show high survival does not predict later suicide, and since the net’s installation suicides have fallen dramatically, with none recorded since May 2025.
Read at Psychology Today
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