Accidental Gun Deaths Dip to Record Low
A report from the National Safety Council shows that accidental firearm-related fatalities continue to decline and are at the lowest level in the history of record keeping, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) reported.
Statistics in the safety council’s Injury Facts 2004, the latest annual report, reveal a 54% decrease over the 10-year period ending in 2003.
Last year, 101,537 US residents died in accidents of all types. Less than one percent, 700, involved firearms. The most common deadly accidents involved motor vehicles, falls and poisonings, claiming 72% of all accidental deaths.
“The continuing decline is good news that’s attributable to a number of factors, but certainly the overarching theme is increased awareness of gun safety and responsibility,” said Doug Painter, president of NSSF, the trade association for the firearm industry.
NSSF directs a number of initiatives focusing on safety. The most visible is Project ChildSafe®, which, in cooperation with the US Department of Justice and the lieutenant governors of the states, has distributed more than 20 million free gun safety information kits, including gun locks, across the country.
NSSF also distributes safety literature and videos that emphasize outreach to schools. Additional support is provided for hunter safety programs.
Many other organizations, most notably the National Rifle Association (NRA), also effectively promote gun safety. The NRA’s award-winning Eddie Eagle program for school-age children K-12 is one of the most notable achievements in this area, and is backed by its cadre of firearms training coordinators and instructors.
The Second Amendment Foundation also has a program for adults called “GunSafe,” which explains the various actions of different firearms to people who are not usually exposed to guns.
Painter added that NSSF, on behalf of the firearm industry, is committed to working toward continuing the downward trend in accidental firearm-related fatalities, a trend which has been continuing even though the number of firearms sold to law-abiding citizens has been steadily increasing.
Other new findings from the National Safety Council include:
- Accidental firearm-related fatalities have been consistently decreasing for many years;
- Preliminary statistics show accidental firearm-related fatalities declined by 13% between 2002 and 2003;
- Over the past seven years, accidental firearm-related fatalities among children (under 14) decreased 60%;
- Firearms are involved in less than 2% of accidental fatalities among children, and
- Firearms are involved in less than 1% of all accidental fatalities.
NSSF, formed in 1961, is the trade association for the firearm industry. It directs a variety of outreach programs to promote greater participation and better understanding of shooting sports, emphasizing safe and responsible ownership of firearms. For further information, visit their website: www.nssf.org, or phone: 203-426-1420.
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