Most Parents Who Own Guns Don't Store Them Safely

Poor firearms-storage practices by many gun-owning parents are putting kids at serious increased risk for unintentional injuries and suicide, reports a new study with some alarming findings.

At their 2- to 11-year-olds' regular checkups, 3,745 parents participated in a survey at 96 doctors' offices in 45 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Nearly a quarter of the parents said they own firearms. But only a third of these said they store the guns safely — with the weapons locked or locked away and the bullets locked up and stored separately.

The study, using information collected from a practice-based research arm of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), also found that:

• parents of toddlers and preschoolers (ages 2 to 5) store their guns safely more often than those with older kids
• handgun owners were more likely to use gun locks, but were also more apt to keep their guns loaded
• parents with rifles or shotguns often said they keep their ammunition and firearms separate, but store guns in a hidden place, not in locked cabinets

Families with firearms were mostly white, living in rural regions, with two adults in the home, and an annual family income of $40,000 or more.

What This Means to You

Guns are in more than one third of all U.S. households, so they're a very real danger to children, whether you own one or not. Kids could come in contact with a gun when hanging out at a neighbor's house, playing with friends, or spending time with extended family.

Whether firearms are in your home or any other that kids frequent, always make sure the following are kept in a securely locked safe or cabinet out of sight and out of kids' reach:

• all firearms — unloaded and uncocked (you can also use gun locks)
• bullets and shells, stored separately from firearms
• gun-cleaning supplies, which are often poisonous

In case kids do come across a gun, teach them to follow these potentially lifesaving rules from the National Rifle Association (NRA):

• Stop.
• Don't touch.
• Remove yourself from the area immediately.
• Tell an adult right away.

Emphasize to children that guns are not toys — they're deadly weapons. And, unlike those kids see in cartoons, real guns can seriously injure and even kill.

Source: Robert H. DuRant, PhD; Shari Barkin, MD, MSHS; Joseph A. Craig, MD; Victoria A. Weiley, MIS; Edward H. Ip, PhD; and Richard C. Wasserman, MD, MPH. Pediatrics, June 2007.