Thirteen fatal falls in Netherlands per day

Last year a total of 4,628 people in the Netherlands died within 30 days after an unfortunate fall, an increase of nearly 600 compared to 2017. That amounts to an average of 13 people dying due to a fall per day. Three quarters of the victims were over the age of 80, Statistics Netherlands reported on Wednesday.

The stats office counted fatalities after accidentally falling, tripping, or slipping. People who died after a fall with a vehicle, such as a mobility scooter or walker, were not included in these figures. Between 2013 and 2017, between 66 thousand and 70 thousand people were admitted to hospital for injuries sustained in a fall per year. Here too most of the victims were 80 years or older.

The number of deaths caused by falling has been increasing in the Netherlands for years. This is partly due to the aging population - most people who die in a fall are elderly. But even with a correction for the changing age structure of the population, Statistics Netherlands still sees an increase in fatal falls over the past four years.