(1/12/12) – Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal reminds families to take caution during Gun Safety Month (January) as well as year-round. Access to guns creates a risk for serious injury and death. Most firearm-related injuries and deaths of children and adolescents involve handguns.

Safety Tip

Many firearm accidents result from the handler mistakenly believing a firearm is emptied, safetied, or otherwise disabled when in fact it is ready to be discharged. Additionally, trigger locks prevent motion of the trigger, but they do not guarantee that the firearm cannot be discharged. A gun’s mechanical safety device is never foolproof. Nothing can ever replace safe gun handling.

Also, be aware that faulty assembly or design, wear and damage of the firearm can cause it not to function as intended. For instance, a safety may have worked down to a point where it is no longer functioning. Regular cleaning is also important for a gun to operate safely, as is proper care.

For more information on preventing injuries in children, visit the Safe Kids website at www.safekids.org.

Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 0 to 14. Its members include Florence County Sheriff’s Department, City of Florence Police Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the City of Florence Fire Department. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal was founded in 1995 and is led by McLeod Health, and funded in part by the McLeod Health Foundation.