Many Americans Don't Lock Up Their Loaded Guns
Many US gun owners don't lock up their loaded weapons, according to a new government report.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that about half of gun owners who store loaded weapons keep at least one gun in a place that is unlocked.
The CDC looked at data from 2021 and 2022, and the study included people from eight US states. In Alaska, more than four out of 10 people living with children said they did not lock up their loaded weapons.
According to ABC News, guns are the number one cause of death among those aged 19 and under in the US. The gun death rate among children and teens increased 46% between 2019 and 2021, according to Pew Research.
Experts say there's a simple way to keep children safe from guns: lock up any weapons.
Keeping guns out of sight and out of reach is not enough, Thomas Simon, one of the CDC report's authors, told The New York Times. Ammunition should also be stored in a different place from any gun.
The National Rifle Association (NRA), which supports gun ownership in America, tells gun owners to "think like a kid."
Remember how resourceful children can be, the NRA website says. It adds that children should be taught that if they see a gun, they should stop — they shouldn't touch it, and they should leave the area and tell an adult.
The topic of gun ownership continues to divide the US, where there are 120 civilian-owned guns per 100 people — the highest ownership rate in the world.
A survey done by Gallup toward the end of 2023 found that 56% of Americans are in favor of stricter gun laws.
However, 64% also said they think guns make homes safer.
But the CDC notes that having a gun in the home has been connected to an increased — not decreased — risk of death by a gun.
