Firearms

Firearms are a common household threat for children in the United States. An estimated 35 percent of all U.S. homes have some type of firearm and one in four homes has a handgun.

Each year, 67 children ages 14 and under die from unintentional firearm-related injuries. In 2005, more than 7,000 children ages 14 and under were treated in emergency departments for unintentional firearm-related injuries. The unintentional firearm-related injury death rate among children ages 14 and under in the United States is nine times higher than in 25 other industrialized combined.

Children love to role play. It is not uncommon for kids to play cops and robbers or act out scenes from their favorite action film. Unfortunately, young children can have a hard time distinguishing the difference between real and make-believe. A loaded handgun kept in the home can easily be mistaken for a toy gun, turning an innocent game of cops and robbers deadly.

Prevention

• Children should not have access to firearms. A gun in the home can be a danger to children.
• Store firearms unloaded and locked up, with ammunition locked in a separate location, out of reach of children.
• Make sure your firearms are equipped with gun locks and other safety devices. Gun locks will not allow the gun to be fired.
• Teach children never to touch a gun and to tell an adult if they find one.
• Check with neighbors, friends and relatives — or any other homes your children may visit — to be sure they follow safe storage practices if firearms are present.

You can learn more by visiting SAFE KIDS WORLDWIDE.