[RomeoTango]

First I want to give kudos to the site for having a Safety Section. As firearms enthusiasts we need to promote safety first, second and last.

Now my question, I have seen statistics of firearms accidental deaths, by year over the last thirty years. Now I cannot find it. The stats showed a decline over the years as firearms ownership increased.

Safety, Safety, Safety.

[RomeoTango]

Over the last thirty years firearms enthusiasts have made great strides to the endeavor of preventing firearms accidents. The NRA deserves most of the credit, but the responsibility falls on all gun owners. This plays out in the fight for our rights. Whether you be for open carry, concealed carry, hunting only or just gun in the home, these facts work to support our cause and debunk the claims of our detractors.
You cannot argue that the population has increased. And you have to admit there are more guns than ever. But why does nobody talk about the unintentional (accidents) death rate by firearms?


The numbers below represent those taken by me this morning from the CDC database.

unintentional death rate by firearms

Year...........Deaths.............Rate per 100,000

1981..........1,871.....................82
1985..........1,649.....................69
1991..........1,441.....................57
1996..........1,134.....................42
1998..........866........................31
2001..........802........................28
2006..........642........................21

I'm sure there are variables that can cut this up, but those are the numbers.
While the anti's tout the dangers of guns and the millions of guns in America, they fall short of bring up the accident rate.

Politics aside. What the NRA and gun owners have been doing in regards to safety and public education is working. And that is something I can believe in and support.

I'm off my soapbox now.

[c3shooter]

Reason for decline? Removal of stupid people before they reproduce, and pass the trait to offspring???

[RomeoTango]

Remember , the decline during 1994-2004, the Brady Campaign and the Violence Policy Center like to attribute to the Assault Weapons Ban. If you look at the big picture, the AWB made no difference at all.

[c3shooter]

Susan- ref: Teens getting access-

I am MUCH more concerned about teens having "access" to the horrid devices that have MUCH more destructive capacity than firearms. They are called "automobiles". Every day we have young people dying- and killing others- through the careless handling of "automobiles". This morning, the family of a teen in my community is picking out a coffin for their teen who died last night. His teenaged buddy decided to try to run when a local deputy turned on the blue lights- he was running 60 in a 45 zone on a local 2 lane road. 20 seconds later, he lost control, hit a phone pole, and now there are 3 teens in the hospital, and 1 in the morgue.

On the other hand, MY teens are now my grandkids. If you had been around here, you would have heard me bragging about my shooting partner for the past 4 years- my youngest granddaughter, now 14 yrs old. I have no concerns about her having "access" to my firearms- since she has demonstrated that she understands and follows the proper safe practices in handling and using firearms. However, I have seen some really TALL children in my life- without regard to age, they have not learned how to behave like an adult.

In reading your posts, I get the impression that you have had little exposure to firearms, and may be more than a touch in awe or fear of them. They are inanimate objects, incapable of independent action. If this is a correct assumption, I would suggest that you find a responsible club or shooting range in your area, and have someone take you shooting a few times. If you are anywhere near central Virginia, would be happy to have you come along with granddaughter (anarchist in training) and myself for an afternoon. BTW, granddaughter's MOM was shooting with me when she was 10 yrs old. I have 50 yrs of active shooting history, including 23 years with the US Army- and neither self nor family has misused firearms, had epiphanies with burning bushes, etc.

Regards- C3

[amoroque]

Originally Posted by c3shooter

I am MUCH more concerned about teens having "access" to the horrid devices that have MUCH more destructive capacity than firearms. They are called "automobiles". C3

Great point!

[dunerunner]

Originally Posted by SusanMart

thanks, RomeoTango

this is a nice thread!

I absolutely agree that safety should go as the main point everywhere and special here, in the forum where everybody seems to be armed(

firearms are so scary for me even to watch, and what if a teen gets access.....pheww

anyways, we have to follow all the safety rules!!!

Same way I feel about cars and airplanes...Oh, add in there electricity, Dads ski boat, knives, the weed eater and lawn mower too!!

When you think about it, nearly everything we do requires rules and respect; if you don't want to get bit by it!!

[Gojubrian]

Originally Posted by SusanMart

thanks, RomeoTango

this is a nice thread!

I absolutely agree that safety should go as the main point everywhere and special here, in the forum where everybody seems to be armed(

firearms are so scary for me even to watch, and what if a teen gets access.....pheww

anyways, we have to follow all the safety rules!!!

I had plenty of access and even my own guns when I was a teen. Very scary indeed...... *anti *cough* anti*

[cpttango30]

firearms are so scary for me even to watch, and what if a teen gets access.....pheww

1st Firearms should scare all around them a little bit. That is why most everyone here gives them the respect they deserve.

As a teen I had access to well over 50 guns and ammo for everyone of them. It is all on how you teach your child to deal with them.

Just tonight I was getting my range bag ready for my next range trip. My son 10 years old walks over to my safe and grabs my 1911 and starts waving it around. After he stopped crying from the ass whooping I put on him he learned that you don't touch ANYTHING in the safe unless dad says you can. Now I am sure I can leave the safe open and he will not touch anything in there.

You must teach your children to respect firearms then they can use them.

[zhuk]

Originally Posted by cpttango30

1st Firearms should scare all around them a little bit. That is why most everyone here gives them the respect they deserve.

As a teen I had access to well over 50 guns and ammo for everyone of them. It is all on how you teach your child to deal with them.

Just tonight I was getting my range bag ready for my next range trip. My son 10 years old walks over to my safe and grabs my 1911 and starts waving it around. After he stopped crying from the ass whooping I put on him he learned that you don't touch ANYTHING in the safe unless dad says you can. Now I am sure I can leave the safe open and he will not touch anything in there.

You must teach your children to respect firearms then they can use them.

Great point, and one that isn't mentioned much. A little bit of (justified) fear breeds a healthy respect; these tools are not toys. Which can only cement safety as being of prime importance at all times.

A whole lot different from gun-phobic fearful ignorance...which we are only too well aware of here.