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U.S. kids accident death rate drops

WASHINGTON , April 29 (UPI) -- Accidental injury claimed the lives of 5,162 U.S. children ages 14 and under in 2005, a report released by the non-profit group Safe Kids USA said.

The accidental injury death rate of children 14 and under has declined by 45 percent in the United States since 1987, yet accidental injury remains the nation's leading killer of children, the report said.

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There has been little change from 1987 to 2007 in the amount done by parents to ensure their child's safety -- due to reasons varying from parents feeling the chance of their child being seriously injured is slim; to reporting that taking all the necessary steps are a hassle; to 20 percent of poor families -- household income levels under $25,000 -- saying many safety devices such as fire extinguishers and bike helmets cost too much, the report said.

When parents do take action, they may not be consistent. For example, the report said 31 percent of households with children age 14 and under do not consistently ensure their children ride in the back seat of a car all the time.

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