Gun violence has become the leading killer of children in the United States, rising by nearly 30% between 2019 and 2020, slightly exceeding the number for auto accidents and greatly exceeding deaths caused by suffocation or drowning.
Gun deaths among children are preventable, both researchers and advocates say.
Goldstick pointed to significant investments in car vehicle safety as a model for policymakers to follow today for making gun injuries less frequent and deadly. Innovations like seatbelt laws and changes in how cars are built have made them less deadly during a crash. Similar innovations are possible in how we manage guns, he says.
"Securely storing firearms unloaded, locked and separate from ammunition is a simple yet lifesaving action that all gun owners should follow — and lawmakers should require,” Watts said in a statement.