David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Blue streetlights may prevent crime, suicide
The Yomiuri Shimbun, via PhysOrg.com
December 10, 2008
Blue streetlights are believed to be useful in preventing suicides and street crime, a finding that is encouraging an increasing number of railway companies to install blue light-emitting apparatus at stations to prevent people from committing suicide by jumping in front of trains.
Although experts are split over the effectiveness of the blue lights, railway companies that already have installed the lighting say they have played a successful role in preventing suicides.
Glasgow, Scotland, introduced blue streetlighting to improve the city's landscape in 2000. Afterward, the number of crimes in areas illuminated in blue noticeably decreased.
The Nara, Japan, prefectural police set up blue street lights in the prefecture in 2005, and found the number of crimes decreased by about 9 percent in blue-illuminated neighborhoods. Many other areas nationwide have followed suit.
Keihin Electric Express Railway Co. changed the color of eight lights on the ends of platforms at Gumyoji Station in Yokohama, Japan, in February.
In January, a person jumped in front of a train from a deserted end of the station platform on two consecutive days. According to the company, a few people attempt to commit suicide every year at the station. A company employee in charge of train safety operations said, "We introduced the blue lights as part of our efforts to try do all we can to prevent suicide."
Since the blue lighting was introduced, no suicide attempts have occurred at the station.
Central Japan Railway Co. has set up blue lights at 10 railway crossings in Aichi, Gifu and Mie prefectures since August to find out whether they work in preventing suicide. East Japan Railway Co. and Kyushu Railway Co. also are discussing the introduction of blue lighting. West Japan Railway Co. was the first railway company to introduce blue lighting at its facilities. The company was concerned by cars attempting to traverse railway crossings despite the approach of trains.
Since December 2006, JR West has set up blue lighting at 38 crossings along lines, including the Hanwa Line connecting Osaka and Wakayama prefectures. Since the installation, no accidents involving a car ramming into a train at crossings has occurred, and no one has committed suicide at the sites.
According to the Construction and Transport Ministry, 640 suicides and suicide attempts involving the jumping in front of trains occurred in fiscal 2007, about a 20 percent increase from the previous year. According to railway companies, suicides often occur at night. A JR West spokesman said, "We're confident that blue lighting is effective to a certain extent in preventing suicide."
Blue illumination is used for other purposes than preventing crimes and suicides. A total of 152 blue lights were introduced along a 1.8-kilometer stretch of the Tomei Expressway near the Tokyo interchange in 2001 to try to prevent accidents. A spokesman of Central Nippon Expressway Co. said, "(The illumination was introduced) as part of our efforts to encourage people to drive safely by instinctively and emotionally appealing to them to calm down." According to the expressway operator, after blue-colored lighting was installed near trash cans at the Yoro rest area of the Meishin Expressway in Yorocho, Gifu Prefecture, the volume of domestic garbage brought in by visitors decreased by more than 20 percent.
Prof. Tsuneo Suzuki at Keio University said: "There are a number of pieces of data to prove blue has a calming effect upon people. However, it's an unusual color for lighting, so people may just feel like avoiding standing out by committing crimes or suicide under such unusual illumination. It's a little risky to believe that the color of lighting can prevent anything."
The Yomiuri Shimbun, via PhysOrg.com
December 10, 2008
Blue streetlights are believed to be useful in preventing suicides and street crime, a finding that is encouraging an increasing number of railway companies to install blue light-emitting apparatus at stations to prevent people from committing suicide by jumping in front of trains.
Although experts are split over the effectiveness of the blue lights, railway companies that already have installed the lighting say they have played a successful role in preventing suicides.
Glasgow, Scotland, introduced blue streetlighting to improve the city's landscape in 2000. Afterward, the number of crimes in areas illuminated in blue noticeably decreased.
The Nara, Japan, prefectural police set up blue street lights in the prefecture in 2005, and found the number of crimes decreased by about 9 percent in blue-illuminated neighborhoods. Many other areas nationwide have followed suit.
Keihin Electric Express Railway Co. changed the color of eight lights on the ends of platforms at Gumyoji Station in Yokohama, Japan, in February.
In January, a person jumped in front of a train from a deserted end of the station platform on two consecutive days. According to the company, a few people attempt to commit suicide every year at the station. A company employee in charge of train safety operations said, "We introduced the blue lights as part of our efforts to try do all we can to prevent suicide."
Since the blue lighting was introduced, no suicide attempts have occurred at the station.
Central Japan Railway Co. has set up blue lights at 10 railway crossings in Aichi, Gifu and Mie prefectures since August to find out whether they work in preventing suicide. East Japan Railway Co. and Kyushu Railway Co. also are discussing the introduction of blue lighting. West Japan Railway Co. was the first railway company to introduce blue lighting at its facilities. The company was concerned by cars attempting to traverse railway crossings despite the approach of trains.
Since December 2006, JR West has set up blue lighting at 38 crossings along lines, including the Hanwa Line connecting Osaka and Wakayama prefectures. Since the installation, no accidents involving a car ramming into a train at crossings has occurred, and no one has committed suicide at the sites.
According to the Construction and Transport Ministry, 640 suicides and suicide attempts involving the jumping in front of trains occurred in fiscal 2007, about a 20 percent increase from the previous year. According to railway companies, suicides often occur at night. A JR West spokesman said, "We're confident that blue lighting is effective to a certain extent in preventing suicide."
Blue illumination is used for other purposes than preventing crimes and suicides. A total of 152 blue lights were introduced along a 1.8-kilometer stretch of the Tomei Expressway near the Tokyo interchange in 2001 to try to prevent accidents. A spokesman of Central Nippon Expressway Co. said, "(The illumination was introduced) as part of our efforts to encourage people to drive safely by instinctively and emotionally appealing to them to calm down." According to the expressway operator, after blue-colored lighting was installed near trash cans at the Yoro rest area of the Meishin Expressway in Yorocho, Gifu Prefecture, the volume of domestic garbage brought in by visitors decreased by more than 20 percent.
Prof. Tsuneo Suzuki at Keio University said: "There are a number of pieces of data to prove blue has a calming effect upon people. However, it's an unusual color for lighting, so people may just feel like avoiding standing out by committing crimes or suicide under such unusual illumination. It's a little risky to believe that the color of lighting can prevent anything."
