Clues about MRT suicides in Singapore

"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." - Peter Drucker

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Clues about MRT suicides in Singapore:


Platform doors at stations - 3 MRT stations to get doors by year-end

"The doors, which open only when a train pulls into the station, will prevent commuters from falling onto the tracks - intentionally or otherwise.

Such incidents have gone up over the years, from an average of 16 cases a year in 2004 and 2005 to 31 in 2007.

Last year, there were 23 cases of commuters straying onto the tracks. Six of these were due to accidental loss of balance"


Half-height screen doors on elevated MRT stations to be installed by 2012

"Authorities said since 2006, 92 people have fallen onto the tracks, whether by accident or otherwise"


Screen doors go up at Pasir Ris MRT station

"So far this year, 18 people have strayed onto the tracks"


I doubt people have become that much more careless over the years.

That said, interestingly enough, at least until 2006, WHO statistics show that suicide rates recently were down from the 1990s (that was a tough decade...)

Also, on an international basis (albeit with outdated data) we actually fare pretty well: Lithuania men lead with 75.6 suicides per 100,000 (in 2000) and even Belgium saw a rate of 29.4 (in 1996), compared to our 12.5 (in 2000). It'd be interesting to see this list updated with new data.