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June 4, 2007 -- Only a third of U.S. families that own firearms store them safely, locked away out of children’s reach, research shows.
The new study shows nearly one in four families with young children own firearms, but only a third of them report safe firearm storage, such as storing guns in a locked cabinet.
Researchers say children who live in a house with guns are at risk for firearm-related injuries, and previous studies have shown how the firearms are stored is directly related to the risk of injury. Robert H. Durant, PhD, from the departments of pediatrics and social science and health policy at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston, N.C., was among the researchers.
To reduce the risk of firearm-related injuries among children, researchers recommend the following firearm storage practices:
In the study, researchers surveyed 3,745 parents who brought their child (aged 2-11) in to see their pediatrician for a well-child exam about gun ownership and storage in their household. The office settings were in 45 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
The results, published in Pediatrics, showed 23% of families with young children reported gun ownership, which is lower than found in previous studies.
Of those families who owned firearms, 60% reported making decisions regarding firearms storage. Only a third of parents reported safe gun storage habits.
Researchers found the type of gun owned was related to the type of storage used.
For example, owners of rifles and other long guns were more likely to keep their firearms in places other than a locked cabinet. Handgun owners were also more likely to store guns loaded and use gun locks.
In addition, the study showed adults who had been raised with firearms in the home were more likely to report safe firearm storage habits. Families with young children aged 2 to 5 years old were also more likely to store their guns safely than those with older children.