A woman was killed by a Metro train last Sunday night in what appears to be a suicide. 

According to the Washington Examiner, witnesses say the 22-year-old woman died at the scene after jumping in front of the incoming train at the Bethesda station. Her death, which is still under investigation, marks the seventh suicide on the Metro this year.

2011’s Train Suicides and Attempts

Maryland has had a surprising number of train-related suicides and suicide attempts in 2011.

In March, a man was hit by a Metro train at the Rockville station in what officials considered a suicide attempt. It took rescuers 35 minutes before finally being able to free the man, whose leg was pinned by the train. Despite severe injuries, the man was conscious during the rescue efforts. Though not linked to the Metro transit system, a Gaithersburg woman died after placing herself in front of a CSX freight train in April. Her death was ruled a suicide.

Prevention Programs

The Metro is currently working on a program to prevent suicidal riders from carrying out their attempts. The Metro set aside $250,000 in September 2010 and has begun training employees with intervention techniques this year. The two hour sessions instruct employees to keep an eye on transit users who appear nervous or walking close to the edge of the tracks. Metro would like to make the program a mandatory part of re-certification that is required of rail workers.

Numbers for suicide hotlines will soon be made available throughout the stations.

These measures are certainly a step in the right direction. However, it’s hard to tell if these programs will effectively prevent deaths, injuries and transit delays in the long term.

Do you think the Metro’s efforts will make an impact? Let us know your opinions on this issue.