Firearm safe storage practices improve; local data show opportunities to protect children in households with firearms
Since 2020, firearms have become the leading cause of death for children and youth in the United States. These tragic and preventable deaths can be the result of firearms that are unsafely stored— when curious kids find a gun in the home, when young people in crisis use a firearm for suicide, or when people take and use firearms in interpersonal or community violence. Firearm deaths and injuries are a public health issue that affect all of our communities, with some communities experiencing disproportionate harm. About 1 in 5 King County adults report firearms are stored in or around their homes, and just over half of adults with firearms report storing them unloaded and locked up. Storing guns locked up when they’re not being carried or used is a safety practice that prevents child injury, suicide, violence, and theft. Safe storage rates in Washington improved from 35% in 2013 to 49% in 2022, likely due to a combination of cultural and policy changes.
Families with kids have extra reasons to securely store their firearms, with unsecured firearms posing risks to curious children and youth in crisis. In King County, significantly fewer gun owners with children reported storing their firearms unlocked compared to gun owners without kids (22% versus 37%). To better understand children’s exposure to safely and unsafely stored firearms in their homes, we took a closer look at the data.
We found:
18.3% of King County children lived in homes with firearms. Percentages were higher among families with White and Multiracial children, families with incomes over $50,000 per year, and residents of South King County. Percentages were lowest among families with Black children, families with incomes under $35,000 per year, and residents of Seattle.
Data Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2018, 2020, 2022.
23% of King County children lived in homes with firearms with at least one unlocked gun. And 6.3% lived in homes with at least one gun stored loaded and unlocked – the riskiest storage method for both curious kids and youth in crisis.
So, what does this mean?
Firearm storage practices are improving, which is encouraging, and firearm-owning families can take additional steps to protect their households.
It’s important to remember that unlocked firearms in the home pose a risk to children and youth, even if they aren’t loaded. Many families believe that hiding firearms means their kids don’t know where they are – but research shows that kids often do. And if a child or teen knows the combination to a gun safe or where the key is kept, that access still poses a danger, even if they’re generally well-behaved and trusted around firearms. Unlocked guns are also vulnerable to theft, especially from cars.
Many local resources exist to help gun owners more safely store their firearms. King County’s Lock It Up program offers information about safe storage in multiple languages. The program and its partners regularly distribute free firearm locking devices. Gun safes are tax-exempt in Washington and available at retail stores and online. Seattle Children’s and partners offer discounted safe firearm storage products; more information here.
Locking up firearms in our homes and cars is a simple, effective way to keep our families and communities safe.
