A total of 22 children aged 0 to 14 were killed in road accidents while walking in 2024, marking the highest annual toll in the past decade, according to a new report from the Or Yarok road safety organization, based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics.
In addition to the fatalities, 517 children were injured as pedestrians in road accidents during the same year, including 146 who sustained serious injuries.
Or Yarok Director-General Adv. Yaniv Yaakov warned that the summer vacation poses a significant risk for child pedestrian injuries. "The lack of a structured daily framework leads children to spend many hours outdoors, often unsupervised. Children's behavior is predictable—therefore, the responsibility lies with the state to reduce vehicle speeds and improve infrastructure," he stated.
He called for urgent measures to lower speed limits near schools, playgrounds, parks, and community centers, and for municipalities to identify high-risk zones. "In many cases, simple actions can save lives. Nothing is more precious than our children," he emphasized.
According to the report, 82% of the child pedestrian fatalities in 2024 occurred on urban roads. Jerusalem ranked as the most dangerous city for child pedestrians, with 63 children injured in the past year—one of whom was killed and 28 seriously injured. Over the past decade, 736 children have been injured while walking in Jerusalem, 22 of them fatally.
Petah Tikva ranked second, with 31 children injured, including four seriously. Tel Aviv-Yafo and Bnei Brak each reported 21 child pedestrian injuries; in Bnei Brak, one child was killed and six seriously injured. Ashdod and Netanya each saw 17 child pedestrian injuries, while Rishon Lezion and Bat Yam each recorded 15. Haifa reported 12 injuries.