by Bev Bechtel
The 1990s brought a sharp increase in firearm fatalities among youth. New national data indicates that nine percent of fatalities among American children are from guns. Every day 14 American children die in gun-related homicides, suicides and accidents. Arizona ranks 48th worst on teen deaths from accident, homicide, or suicide. Only Mississippi, Arkansas, and the District of Columbia had a higher rate of teen death than Arizona. This disturbing trend was evident in 1996, when 131 children in Arizona were killed by guns. This represented a 68 percent increase between 1990 and 1996.
The best way to protect children from guns is to practice responsible gun ownership. It is an issue as well for parents who do not own guns because their children may have friends whose parents own guns. Guns should be locked up with the ammunition stored separately. Ironically, parents will often lock up prescription medications and require their kids to wear seat belts but will leave loaded guns accessible to their children.
There is also technology available to protect children from handguns. "Personalized guns" which can only be fired by the owner would stop the curious child or the suicidal teenager. Safety locks can immobilize the trigger, making it inoperable to anyone who does not have the key. Another example of protection is a basic pushbutton combination lock incorporated onto the handle of a gun. If the three or four-digit code is not properly set the gun will not fire. Unlike a trigger lock, the "personalized" mechanism is an integral part of the gun and does not have to be actively applied by the user to be effective. This type of lock can be used to retrofit and protect most existing guns from unauthorized use.
Whether a parent is a gun owner or not, it is important to talk to your children about guns. The Center for Disease Control reports that the rate of firearm deaths of children 0 to 14 years old is nearly 12 times higher in the U.S. than in 25 other industrialized countries combined. This statistic alone makes it a serious health threat.