Americans possess close to 200 million firearms, and 65 million handguns. Many use the weapons for recreation activities like skeet and target shooting, and hunting. Others keep their guns for protection.An unfortunate side affect of gun ownership, however, is that unintentional shootings account for almost 20% of all gun-related deaths among children aged 14 and under.
Nearly a third of American families with children keep a gun in their home. Many times guns kept for protection (hand guns, usually) are left loaded and unlocked, and within a child’s reach.
No one wants or expects their child to get a hold of their firearm—but statistics show it happens–and all too often. Sometimes kids can even mistake a real gun for a toy! Decreasing the accessibility of guns can eliminate the likelihood of an accidental shooting in a family residence. Gun safes are easy to obtain, and are affordable. Locking away guns will ensure the weapon doesn’t cause unintentional harm.
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