Over 1,159 died over the past 10 years as result of preventable accidents

Arab children are three times more liable to die in falling accidents than their Jewish counterparts.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Palestinian children play in rain. [File] (photo credit: Reuters)
Palestinian children play in rain. [File]
(photo credit: Reuters)
A total of 1,159 children have died in the last decade from unintentional, preventable accidents, according to Beterem, the Israel National Center for Child Safety and Health.
Beterem said on Sunday that 40 percent of the deaths (460 children) had occurred at home and were caused by leisure accidents.
Every year, an average of 117 teens die in accidents.
On Thursday, Orly Silbinger, the head of the organization, presented the Beterem report to Health Minister Yael German, who promised to follow up the national program to significantly reduce the number of child accident victims.
Every day, some 500 children reach emergency rooms due to preventable accidents The national program for minimizing child accidents has been prepared by the various authorities but not yet implement due to lack of state funding.
Although the 2013 rates were close to the OECD average, Israel’s rank of 21 – with number one having the lowest accident rate – was a slip from its 2004 ranking of 15.
The main causes of death examined by Beterem included poisoning, drowning, falling from heights and road accidents.
Arab children are three times more liable to die in falling accidents than their Jewish counterparts.
Israeli children in the northern region are 2.9 times more likely to be hurt in preventable accidents than those living in the Tel Aviv area.