New California law guides suicide deterrents on bridges and overpasses | Opinion

Content warning: This piece contains mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or in crisis, dial 988 to reach the 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

California has many iconic bridges: San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, San Diego’s Coronado Bridge and the Foresthill Bridge in Placer County, to name a few. Sadly, these beautiful structures see too many suicides and suicide attempts every year, many of which could be prevented with simple measures such as netting or safety rails.

But deterrence is also possible; critical to saving lives and preventing life-altering injuries. And California is now taking important steps to avoid these tragedies.

In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 440, authored by Assemblymember James C. Ramos, D-San Bernardino, and sponsored by my organization, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. The bill will require the California Department of Transportation to identify best practices for the implementation of suicide countermeasures to deter attempts on bridges and overpasses by July 1, 2028.

Suicide is a critical public health issue affecting our community, particularly young people. According to 2023 data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 24 — an age group especially vulnerable to “suicide contagion,” a term for the finding that “exposure to the suicide or suicidal behavior of one or more persons influences others to commit or attempt suicide,” according to the CDC.

Government agencies like Caltrans have an important role in prevention by helping to reduce contagion risk and prevent the development of suicide hotspots through thoughtful design and safety measures. When bridges and overpasses are built, no one imagines they could one day become places where people might attempt suicide. But with some foresight, features that increase the risk of suicide can be reduced or eliminated.

AB 440 will help create a comprehensive plan to identify and address these higher-risk sites, reducing the likelihood of tragedy and making our communities safer.

Over the last 20 years, on average, there have been 30 confirmed suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge each year. In 2024, just one year after the bridge’s suicide deterrent net was completed, there were eight suicides at the bridge, reducing the annual number of suicides by 73%.

A 2017 Swiss study “found that barriers and nets on bridges reduce suicides by up to 77%.” Barriers can prevent death and serve as a deterrent to suicide attempts. The Golden Gate Bridge’s own story is a point of proof.

So-called “suicide hot spots” are sites that are “frequently used as a location for suicide and which provides either means or opportunity for suicide,” according to Peninsula Medical School. Identifying these hot spots on our state bridges and overpasses is the first essential step in realizing the goal of zero suicides by creating an opportunity to remove access to the means of suicide — a proven method of prevention.

Contrary to popular belief, when barriers are in place, people generally do not seek a different location or choose another way to end their life.

We know that when someone experiences suicidal thoughts, interrupting the path from thought to action can save their life. Creating even a small amount of space between suicidal ideation and an attempt provides a crucial window for de-escalation, intervention and hope — and it can ultimately prevent the loss of life.

Lyn Morris, a licensed marriage and family therapist, is CEO of Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services.