The Safety Net will be a hard metal platform located two stories below the sidewalk. Jumping into the Net will result in significant bruises, sprains and possibly broken bones.
While this project is unique due to its vast scale and maritime location, it is modeled on similar systems, which have been installed in various locations around the world for almost two decades. They have proven to be exceptionally effective deterrents to suicide.
The 1978 Seiden study at the Golden Gate Bridge showed that 90 percent of those stopped from jumping did not later die by suicide or other violent means. A Harvard School of Public Health article reviewing numerous studies showed more broadly that “Nine out of ten people who attempt suicide and survive will not go on to die by suicide at a later date.”