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Accidental Firearm-related Fatalities Drop to All-time
Low
NEWTOWN, Conn.--A report from the National Safety Council shows that
accidental firearm-related fatalities continue to decline and are at the
lowest level in the history of record keeping. Statistics in the council's
"Injury Facts 2004" reveal a 54 percent decrease over a 10-year
period ending in 2003.
Last year, 101,537 U.S. residents died in accidents of all types.
Less than one percent, 700, involved firearms. The most common deadly
accidents involved motor vehicles, falls and poisonings, claiming 72
percent of all accidental deaths.
"The continuing decline is good news that's attributable to a
number of factors, but certainly the overarching theme is increased
awareness of gun safety and responsibility," said Doug Painter,
president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade
association for the firearm industry. NSSF directs a number of
initiatives focusing on safety. The most visible is Project
ChildSafe ®, which, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of
Justice, has distributed more than 20 million free gun safety
information kits, including gun locks, across the country.
NSSF also distributes safety literature and videos that emphasize
outreach to schools. Additional support is provided for hunter safety
programs. Learn more at www.nssf.org
or 203-426-1320.
Many other organizations, most notably the National Rifle
Association, also effectively promote gun safety.
Painter added that NSSF, on behalf of the firearm industry, is
committed to working toward continuing the downward trend in accidental
firearm-related fatalities.
Other new findings from the National Safety Council include:
- Accidental firearm-related fatalities have been consistently
decreasing for many years
- Preliminary statistics show accidental firearm-related
fatalities declined by 13 percent between 2002 and 2003
- Over the past seven years, accidental firearm-related
fatalities among children (under 14) decreased 60 percent.
Firearms are involved in less than two percent of accidental
fatalities among children
- Firearms are involved in less than one percent of all
accidental fatalities
NSSF, formed in 1961, is the trade association for the firearm
industry. It directs a variety of outreach programs to promote greater
participation and better understanding of shooting sports, emphasizing
safe and responsible ownership of firearms. For further information,
visit www.nssf.org.
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