Geneva - Injury and violence were responsible for 900,000 children's deaths each year, 90 per cent of which were accidental, a United Nations report released Wednesday said.

The leading cause of death resulting from an injury was road traffic accidents, followed by drowning and fires or burns.

War made up only 2.3 per cent of child-injury deaths, according to the World Health Organization and the UN's Children Fund, UNICEF.

The first UN report on the subject said millions of children suffered lifelong disabilities due to injuries, and that the poor were at an increased risk.

In 2004, some 260,000 children died in road accidents, but only 7 per cent of them were in the most developed countries.

In Europe, traffic accidents accounted for 20 per cent of child- injury deaths.

Africa had the highest death toll from unintentional injuries, at a rate 10 times higher than in Europe.

"Improvements can be made in all countries," said Etienne Krug from the WHO's injury prevention unit, adding that many tragedies were preventable.

The two agencies said there was not enough information on child injuries and that prevention programmes were pushed to the fringe and underfunded.

If implemented, the report indicated that over 1,000 lives could be saved daily by such programmes.

UNICEF also launched an illustrated book to educate youngsters about taking steps to protect themselves while crossing the street, playing sports and other daily routines. (dpa)