The man of Dodoport, a teenager accused of attempted murder for 2024

In the last few years of guns have been identified as The leading cause of death for children in the US.

Were 2571 Children between the ages of 1 and 17 In the US in 2021, 68% more than 1531, which took place in 2000.

To reduce the number of deaths and injuries related to firearms, among children, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardon called to school and district administrators In January, talk to parents and guardians about the safe practice of storage of firearms.

As Experts on Safe storage of firearms – And as the leaders of the University of Connecticut Weapons center to prevent injury – We talked Conversation Questions we often treat the best ways to keep their weapons from the hands of children. We offer the following tips:

1. Keep all your firearms safely

Almost half of the households in the United States have at least one firearm, but only about 40% of firearms store all their guns when not used, according to the data in the survey we recently conducted. Unprotected firearms associated with Suicide, home killings and casual shootings. They also increase the risk of unauthorized use that Includes theft.

2. Don’t assume that you can hide your guns

Children tend to know hidden places for things that their parents or caregivers do not want them to find, such as holiday gifts or Halloween candy. The same applies to firearms.

IN 40% of households possessing weapons Adults have stated with children that their children do not know where the firearms are stored, showed a 2017 study. However, many Children reported knowledge and the ability to access firearms.

Researchers evaluate this 75% of children They live in gun homes know where they are stored.

Adults may think that they can instruct children to leave firearms alone, but the 2017 study also found that it 22% of parents He misleading that their children had never coped with their gun.

3. Store ammunition separately

Studies show that ammunition locking separately from firearms further Reduces risk Injuries of firearms in homes with children and adolescents.

While storage of non -readable weapons, recorded may feel counterinitive to those who own a weapon for personal protection, research shows that the preservation of firearms is blocked or unloaded, may also be reduce the risk of injury.

4. Learn to talk about the safety of firearms

Although some families may not have firearms in their home, and in the end -children go to other homes and, when they grow up, go unattended.

Mature of children from violence from a gun requires normalization of conversations about storage of firearms, even for people in households where there is no weapon.

About 45% of all unintentional deaths Children under 17 occurred outside their own homes. When children visit friends, we think it is important for parents to know if there are guns in the house they visit and, if they are present, whether these firearms are safely stored.

For more information on how to discuss firearms safety, parents can visit web sites such as To swallow, Finish family fire and Safe storage of deadly means.

5. Know the law

Twenty -seven states have a version Ensuring the laws on storage.

Based on our calculations Using data centers and prevention of diseasesstates with laws on prevention of access to children – known as Restriction laws – Have a weapon mortality rate that is 65% lower than in states that do not have restrictions (12.33 against 20.38 per 100,000). Of course, there are many differences in states with restrictions on restrictions; Therefore, lower rates cannot be attributed only to restrictions. However, the existence of CAP laws is protective and reduces death from weapons.

In the absence of a federal law on safe storage, legal requirements for storage of firearms and preventing access to strangers depending on the state or municipality.

For example, Connecticut requires firearms in a blocked device when not used.

Iowa forbids Storage or leaving a loaded firearm around children 14 years and younger, unless it is fixed with a trigger or securely blocked container or some other protected place.

Further, although Michigan has only recently added a law on safe storage, Jennifer Krynki, the mother of a boy who committed a mass school with unprotected firearms of parents, was recently convicted involuntary murder in connection with the case. The court of her husband on the matter began on March 5, 2024.

6. Invest in a safe and/or lock device

There are different levels of blocked weapon storage including trigger locks, Metal cable locks, Closed cabinets from guns and safes with pistols. While storage of firearms and ammunition in a blocked combination or biometric device is the safestAll these methods can reduce the risk of injury and death. These closing devices can be purchased on the Internet, through some weapons or sports stores.

The biometric safe for the pistol is about $ 65, the gun lock costs from $ 55 to $ 75, and combined safes for long guns – from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.

Family and school partnerships allow children to grow and prosper children. By asking the schools to share resources for safe storage of firearms and report safety on the basis of evidence, the Department of Education helps schools to resolve the leading cause of death among American children.

But families also have to play their role. This begins with the normalization of conversations about the safety of firearms and properly storage of firearms to protect children.