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Did You Know?
Nearly 500 children and teen-agers each year are killed in gun-related accidents.
Each year, there are 34,000 gun-related deaths in the U.S.
Everyday, about seventy-five American children are shot; most recover fifteen do not.
The majority of fatal accidents involving a firearm occur in the home.
Gunshot wounds are the single most common cause of death for women in the home, accounting for nearly half of all homicides and 42 percent of suicides.
An adolescent is twice as likely to commit suicide if a gun is kept in the home.
More teenage boys in America die from gunfire than from car accidents.
Gunshot wounds are now the leading cause of death for teenage boys in America (white, African American, urban, suburban).
29 percent of high school boys have at least one firearm, most intended for hunting and sporting purposes.
Six percent say they carry a gun outside the home.
From 1980 to 1997, gun killings by young people 18 to 24 increased from about 5,000 to more than 7,500.
There are about 60 million handguns in the United States.
About 2 to 3 million new and used handguns are sold each year.
About 1,500 commit suicide.
Nearly 7,000 violent crimes are committed each year by juveniles using guns they found in their own homes.
In 1994, every day, 16 children age 19 and under were killed with guns and 64 were wounded in this country.
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Tips
The 4 Laws of Gun Safety
Law #1 - The Gun Is Always Loaded!
EVERY TIME you pick up or draw a gun, inspect it in a safe manner (control your muzzle) and always treat it as a loaded gun.
Law #2- Never Point The Gun At Something You Are Not Prepared To Destroy!
The only safe way to operate is to assume the Worst Case Scenario: Pretend that your "empty" gun is loaded and that it's going to function perfectly. When you press the trigger it will FIRE! Since you are prepared for that, you only point the gun in a Safe Direction.
Law #3- Always Be Sure Of Your Target And What Is Behind It!
Identify your target before firing - even before dry-firing at home. If you are not sure, DON'T FIRE! Make sure there is a safe impact area behind it before firing. For home dry-fire practice, find and aim only at a BULLET PROOF BACKSTOP. Even though you have checked and double-checked your gun, you should still treat your gun as though it is loaded. Plasterboard walls and outer walls are not bulletproof. A handgun bullet will easily travel through several rooms before stopping.
Law #4- Keep Your Finger Off The Trigger Until Your Sights Are On The Target!
Almost all of the accidental discharges during a match are caused by a finger on the trigger when you were not ready to fire. Some examples: Finger on trigger during reloading, during movement, during the draw, and during jam clearing
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