Number of summer kids' deaths lowest since 2005

Only 14 children were killed in July and August, significantly lower than last year, though all were tragic and preventable.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Magen David Adom ambulances 311 (photo credit: Reuters)
Magen David Adom ambulances 311
(photo credit: Reuters)
This school vacation saw the lowest number of children’s deaths from accidents since the National Council for the Child began to keep statistics in 2005.
Only 14 children were killed in July and August – significantly lower than last year – though all were tragic and preventable deaths.
The highest figure – 34 child accident victims – was reached in both 2010 and 2006, while the next-lowest of 16 was in 2009.
The 2011 figure was 24.
During the course of the year, six or seven children die of accidents in an average month.
The “most dangerous” ages are from birth to three years and between ages 13 and 18. Eight of the 14 deaths were among children below age six. Boys are more often the victims than girls and Arab children – who accounted for five of the deaths – were proportionately more likely to die than Jewish children.
The causes of death in July and August were road accidents (5), drowning (5), falls (2), being left in a locked vehicle (1) and being crushed by a basketball pole (1).
The council said on Monday that is was very pleased the summer death toll of children had declined significantly.
“It proves that deaths from accidents are not inevitable or ‘fate’ and that the summer months don’t have to be worse than the rest of the year,” said council head Dr. Yitzhak Kadman.
He credited informational and educational campaigns by Beterem, the Education Ministry, the media and his own council for the fruitful results. But he said that even more effort – especially by parents – can be made to reduce the death toll even further.