Accidents kill more poor than rich.

CHILDREN from poor families are more likely to die in accidents, a survey said today.

Poorer children are also more likely to die in a house fire or as a pedestrian, the Health Development Agency findings said.

Researchers found that, between 1979 and 1983, the accidental injury death rate was three and a half times higher for poor children compared to affluent.

Between 1989 and 1992, the same comparison revealed poorer children were five times more likely to die from unintentional injury.

The research generally found that the poorest children were more likely to suffer injuries requiring hospital admission, and upon admission their injuries are likely to be more serious, than those experienced by children from affluent families.

The report, entitled Injuries in Children Aged 0-14 years and Inequalities, examined variations in place, social, economic and cultural factors.

Professor Elizabeth Towner, author of the HDA report, said: 'The fact that children from poorer families are at greater risk from unintentional injuries must be addressed.'

However, the report found the number of accidental injury deaths has been falling.

In England and Wales in 1979, nearly 1,100 children died in accidents while the figure for 2002 was 261