Child Access Prevention & Safe Storage

The problem

Firearms continue to be unsafely stored, with around 60% of owners reporting storing at least one firearm unlocked and hidden. Many children in these households know exactly where the firearms are kept, and many have handled them.

In a recent study, among the 70% of households where parents did not believe their child could access a household firearm, more than 1 in 5 adolescents reported being able to access a loaded household firearm within 5 minutes — and 37% within an hour. Firearm owners report that preventing access by children is the single strongest reason they would consider locking unsecured firearms.

How should firearms be stored?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all firearms in households with children be stored unloaded and locked, with ammunition locked and stored separately.

Does safe storage make a difference?

Yes. The presence of unlocked guns in homes increases the risk of both unintentional injuries and intentional shootings. Suicide attempts with a firearm have a fatality rate of over 90%, compared with 23% for drug overdose — and the increased risk is particularly striking for younger people when guns are stored loaded or unlocked.

A modeling study found that if half of households with children moved from not locking their guns to locking at least one, over 250 youth suicide and unintentional firearm deaths could be prevented each year.