• P Cummings, D C Grossman, F P Rivara, and T D Koepsell.
• Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle 98104-2499, USA. peterc@u.washington.edu
• JAMA. 1997 Oct 1; 278 (13): 108410861084-6.

ContextSince 1989, several states have passed laws that make gun owners criminally liable if someone is injured because a child gains unsupervised access to a gun. These laws are controversial, and their effect on firearm-related injuries is unknown.ObjectiveTo determine if state laws that require safe storage of firearms are associated with a reduction in child mortality due to firearms.DesignAn ecological study of firearm mortality from 1979 through 1994.SettingAll 50 states and the District of Columbia.ParticipantsAll children younger than 15 years.Main Outcome MeasuresUnintentional deaths, suicides, and homicides due to firearms.ResultsLaws that make gun owners responsible 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 through 1994. Among children younger than 15 years, unintentional shooting deaths were reduced by 23% (95% confidence interval, 6%-37%) during the years covered by these laws. This estimate was based on within-state comparisons adjusted for national trends in unintentional firearm-related mortality. Gun-related homicide and suicide showed modest declines, but these were not statistically significant.ConclusionsState safe storage laws intended to make firearms less accessible to children appear to prevent unintentional shooting deaths among children younger than 15 years.

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