STATE GUN SAFE STORAGE LAWS AND CHILD-MORTALITY DUE TO FIREARMS

Context.-Since 1989, several states have passed laws that make gun own ers criminally liable if someone is injured because a child gains unsu pervised access to a gun. These laws are controversial, and their effe ct on firearm-related injuries is unknown. Objective.-To determine if state laws that require safe storage of firearms are associated with a reduction in child mortality due to firearms. Design.-An ecological s tudy of firearm mortality from 1979 through 1994. Setting.-All 50 stat es and the District of Columbia. Participants.-All children younger th an 15 years. Main Outcome Measures.-Unintentional deaths, suicides, an d homicides due to firearms. Results.-Laws that make gun owners respon sible for storing firearms in a manner that makes them inaccessible to children were in effect for at least 1 year in 12 states from 1990 th rough 1994. Among children younger than 15 years, unintentional shooti ng deaths were reduced by 23% (95% confidence interval, 6%-37%) during the years covered by these laws. This estimate was based on within-st ate comparisons adjusted for national trends in unintentional firearm- related mortality. Gun-related homicide and suicide showed modest decl ines, but these were not statistically significant. Conclusions.-State safe storage laws intended to make firearms less accessible to childr en appear to prevent unintentional shooting deaths among children youn ger than 15 years.