Kids and Gun Safety: Keeping Kids Safe from Guns

With 40% of American families owning firearms, the issue of protecting our children from gun accidents is a major concern in America.

Parents may keep their children safe when they choose to own guns and keep them at home. Children or adolescents cannot be responsible for their own safety; It is the responsibility of the parents or adults of the home.

When making the decision to own a firearm, you should be fully informed about the most effective methods to ensure that your family and visitors to your home are safe. The owner of the weapon is the only one who has this responsibility. The risks are significant. The method you choose to secure your weapon cannot be considered lightly; it is a serious situation that requires great planning and thought to avoid a tragedy. Unfortunately, when it comes to firearms, you rarely get more than one chance to get it right.

Research shows that 40% of households with children have a gun in the home and 1 in 4 of these guns is loaded at all times. Research also shows that the vast majority of gun deaths occurred in the home. All the more reason for us to carefully evaluate how we store our weapons.

With this information in mind, it goes without saying that when there are children or adolescents in the home, there should never be a loaded firearm in the home. The weapon must always be in a safe place where access by children is impossible.

If it is necessary to keep a gun in the bedroom, a secure vault should be used. There are vaults available that are small and can be mounted on the bed frame or close to the bed. Vaults with biometric or digital access are the best. This technology allows the gun owner to access the vault very quickly and easily, but keeps everyone else out.

Keep in mind that children are naturally curious and often listen to their friends ‘encouragement rather than their parents’ good sense. Keep all weapons out of the reach of children and in a storage place that does not allow access under any conditions. Even if you have had the necessary conversations with your children and feel that they understand you, do not become complacent in this area. Your complacency can kill.

Here are some safety tips to help you:

• Weapons should not be loaded at home.
• Keep weapons in a vault system to prevent accidental access or theft
• Guns in vehicles (per individual laws in your state) must be kept in a vault designed for vehicle gun storage.
• Never assume that your children will make the right choice when they have access to a gun.

It is your responsibility to protect your children. Take the necessary action today.