Be SMART about Gun Safety and Home Storage
Secure firearm storage is an essential part of home safety. With more guns in more homes due to an unprecedented surge in gun sales over the past two years, it’s more important than ever for parents and caregivers to know how secure storage protects children. During the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a rise in unintentional shootings by children and gunfire on school grounds. And in 2020, gun suicide among children ages 17 and under reached the highest rate in more than 20 years and firearms became the leading cause of death among children in the United States. Storing firearms securely can help prevent these tragedies and keep kids safe.
The Be SMART campaign was launched to raise awareness that secure gun storage—storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition—can save children’s lives. Be SMART emphasizes that it’s an adult responsibility to keep kids from accessing guns, and that every adult can play a role in keeping kids and communities safer.
4.6 million children in the us live in a household with at least one loaded, unlocked gun.
Don't let your child be one of them.
Firearms are the leading cause of death for American children and teens.
Firearm - 2,270
Motor Vehicle - 2,159
Cancer - 1,407
Suffocation - 1,023
Congenital Anomalies - 817
Learn more about secure gun storage and how you can save lives at BeSMARTforKids.org
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