37 children, teens killed during summer vacation
The Beterem child safety organization publishes report delineating leading causes of death for children and teenagers during summer months; stats show car accidents primary causes, followed by falls.
The new stattistics mark an increase compared to the last four years, which averaged 23 children or young adult casualties between June 21 and August 31.
The main cause of death was car accidents, with 21 of the children and teens losing their lives on the road, the figures show.
One of the deadliest accidents took place in the Binyamin Regional Council, where five east Jerusalem teenagers lost their lives. Other accidents included a collision on Highway 6 in which Yosef Haim Efrati was killed after his bar mitzvah, and an Israeli girl who was killed during a family trip to Russia.
The second most common cause of death was falls, claiming the lives of four people. Other causes of death included strangulation, claiming the lives of three children, two cases of drowning and one case each for general physical trauma, electrocution, being trapped in a vehicle and hyperthermia.
Data from the past five years show children three years old or younger were involved in 40 percent of the deaths. Another item gleaned from the data showed 75 percent of lethal accidents took place at home.
In addition, 17 year olds were involved in 16 percent of mortality cases during the summer vacation. Their involvement also stands out when it comes to vehicular accidents, accounting for 24 percent of the cases.
The 2017 summer vacation was characterized by an equal gender distribution in underage deaths, whereas during 2013-2016, two-thirds of those killed were boys.
Data from the past five years also showed 49 percent of victims were Israeli Arabs.
"There's a massive, 60 percent increase compared to the last four years," said Orly Silbinger, Beterem's CEO. Periods of time when children are freed from their usual constraints are always dangerous, she said, adding "it's important for both children and parents to be aware of, and follow, all safety rules."
