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Would you ever think of asking the parents of your child's best friend if they have a gun in their house?
In 2004, there were 13,846 kids injured by a firearm, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When there's a gun in the home, there's a greater risk of a child being shot by himself, his friends or a family member than being injured by an intruder.
"I know that parents want to protect their families. That's why they have guns at home. As part of that safety, they have to make sure children don't get unsupervised access to those guns," says Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the wife of Senator Ted Kennedy and a co-founder and president of Common Sense About Kids and Guns, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.
Keeping firearms out of harm's way
When it comes to guns in the home, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Children's Defense Fund and Common Sense About Kids and Guns have these safety tips for parents:
- Never leave a loaded, unlocked gun in your house.
- Lock and store your guns and ammunition separately. Be sure to hide the keys where children cannot find them.
- Ask parents of your child's playmates if they have any firearms and how they are stored. "No one wants to pry into someone else's household," says Kennedy. "But when it comes to the safety of your children, it's not prying, it's prudent."
- Teach your children never to touch guns without adult supervision and to tell an adult if they find one. This is easier said than done because children are naturally curious about firearms. Start warning your children when they are preschoolers. Studies show most 3- and 4-year-olds have enough strength to pull the trigger of a handgun, says Elizabeth Miles, project director for Stop Handgun Violence. "It's important at the youngest of ages for children to know there are consequences when guns are fired," says Kennedy.
- Put trigger locks on all of your firearms. Gun safes, combination locks and magazine locks are some other choices for locking devices, say experts. A U.S. General Accounting Office study concluded that one-third of all accidental shootings could be prevented by a firearms safety device.
- Gun owners can also go to their local gunsmith or sporting goods store for a locking device. Choose a sturdy metal lock, not plastic, say experts.
Gun death facts
- Every nine hours a child or teen was killed in a firearm-related accident or suicide in 2002.
- On average, 4 children died every day in non-homicide firearm incidents from 1999-2002.
- From 1997-2002, more than 1,324 children were killed in firearm accidents.
- In 2004, there were 13,846 kids injured by a firearm - and an additional 15,214 kids were injured from BB or pellet guns.
- The overall firearm-related death rate among U.S. children aged less than 15 years was nearly 12 times higher than among children in 25 other industrialized countries combined.
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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