The danger of Yom Kippur: "The roads change completely, but they are not safe"

The National Road Safety Authority publishes alarming data on road accidents on Yom Kippur: In the past decade, 1,959 people were injured in 1,389 accidents, 17 were killed and 100 were seriously injured. The hours before and after the fast are particularly dangerous due to changing traffic patterns. The Director General of the Authority, Gili Cohen, and Prof. Neta Cohen from Ichilov warn against complacency and emphasize the importance of caution and wearing a helmet.

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has published alarming data on road accidents on Yom Kippur, challenging the public perception of the holiday as a quiet and safe day. In the past decade, 1,959 people were injured in 1,389 road accidents that occurred on Yom Kippur eves and days, 17 of them were killed and 100 were seriously injured. In 2025 alone, 204 people were injured in 148 accidents, including two fatalities and 13 seriously injured – an increase compared to the multi-year average. The most sensitive hours are before the start of the fast and immediately after its end, when traffic patterns change sharply and congestion increases. The Director General of the NRSA, Gili Cohen, warned that many of those injured during the fast itself are children and teenagers, pedestrians, and riders of small vehicles. Prof. Neta Cohen, director of the pediatric trauma service at the Dana-Dwek Children's Hospital at Ichilov, described injuries ranging from bruises and fractures to life-threatening head injuries, and emphasized the importance of wearing a helmet. The article also includes a detailed safety guide for riders and families, including recommendations on moderate speed, equipment checks, lighting, and riding with adult supervision for young children.