Do stricter gun control measures resulting in reducing the incidence of gun ownership have the direct effect of also reducing the incidence of accidental death?
Stricter gun control measures which reduce gun ownership will have a direct effect on the number of accidental deaths, because if the guns are not present, no one can be killed by them.
In order for someone to be killed by a gun, there has to be a gun present. It stands to reason that if we enforce stricter gun legislation which limits gun ownership, there will be fewer people being accidentally killed by guns.
Studies have shown that in households where a gun is present, there is a significantly increased risk of someone in that household dying from a gun shot wound. Reduce the guns; reduce the risk; reduce the accidental deaths from guns.Posted by: OdyekAnge1Decreasing gun ownership would reduce accidental gun deaths.
Accidental deaths would be decreased, but the best solution is to make it harder to get guns, making sure there were only responsible owners who understood the liability of owning guns.
Posted by: lachercheuseIn many European countries, stricter gun control measures have been shown to reduce gun deaths per capita.
Stricter gun control measures, including reducing the incidence of gun ownership, has been shown in certain European countries to reduce the incidence of gun death, in general. This has happened in England and in Germany. It would stand to reason that, if the incidences of gun deaths have decreased there, the incidence of accidental deaths would have decreased, as well.
Posted by: AmusingTanner32Decreasing the availability of guns by tightening gun control means that more experienced, responsible people will own guns, thus increasing accidental death.
If gun control regulations are tightened, it will be harder for an individual to purchase a gun. Perhaps that individual will have to be licensed, submit to an extensive background check, or at least endure a waiting period. The individuals willing to comply with such regulations to obtain a gun are likely to be more responsible with guns than the general population. Therefore, if gun control regulations are tightened, more responsible individuals will own guns, and those people will be less likely to accidentally kill themselves or others with their gun.
Posted by: A BassWith gun control restricting gun ownership to people that have proved themselves responsible, accidents will be prevented.
Guns should be allowed, but only for people that deserve the right to own such a destructive weapon. Adults without convictions that show a violent nature should have the ability to purchase guns of a caliber that is not too dangerous by omitting assault weapons and machine guns. People with guns should not have violations centered around child neglect, domestic abuse or child abuse. With gun control restricting gun ownership to people that have proved themselves responsible, accidents will be prevented.
Posted by: DisillusionedGilberto67I have children and feel that as long as there is no gun in my home there is no chance for accidental death.
If there are stricter rules on gun ownership it is more likely the people who do own guns will be more knowledgeable about guns. When people own guns and do not know how to properly handle them there is a higher chance of accidental death. When there are more guns available to people there are more chances for accidents to happen. I do not keep a gun in my house so in my home I do not have to worry about an accidental death due to a gun.
Posted by: KHendrixYes, but at what cost
Simple equation: Less gun owners = less gun accidents
The problem is, that you are also taking away people's defense. There will be less accidental deaths, but more rapes, murders, robberies, riots, car thefts, etc. If everyone had a gun, there would be more accidental deaths, but I guarantee no one will try robbing a convenience store when the other 10 people in the store all have guns. A proper way to reduce accidental deaths would be for people to store their guns properly and know how to handle them, but there are stupid people in this world. You wouldn't ban cars because people can accidentally kill someone with them?
I am 100% against gun control.Posted by: AnonymousI agree that if there are fewer gun owners, there will be fewer accidents.
Clearly if you reduce the number of gun owners--especially stupid ones--there will be fewer accidental deaths. Gun ownership is a huge responsibility and we have become far too lax in the requirements for obtaining one.
Posted by: N3vinFaceYes, less gun ownership would mean less accidental gun deaths.
The math is simple on this one ? if there are fewer guns owned by individuals, then there will be less accidental gun deaths. You can't accidentally shoot someone without a gun. There are considerable arguments to be made about whether reducing accidents outweighs all the other issues involved in gun ownership, however.
Posted by: ZxcutieGeorgIf gun ownership was more monitored and controlled than there would be less of a chance of some citizens being killed on accident due to guns.
Sometimes guns handled by inexperienced owners and their children can result in accidental deaths. If these guns had never been in possession then this episode could never take place. Many people can become owners of a gun yet not know how to handle them or put them up correctly and this results in deaths.
Posted by: B3rkIffyBanning automatic and semi automatics works
Following the strathfield and port Arthur massacres, both semi and automatic weapons were banned here. There has been no repeat and statistics show I am 50% less likely to die a gun related death than before. Fact is that with gun controls in place Australia is a safer place and gun owners can still legally buy all other classes of weapons.
Posted by: Anonymous
Decreasing gun ownership will not reduce accidental deaths because the numbers just don't support this; there are fewer accidental deaths than one might think!
Accidental gun deaths very rarely happen when it involves a person who knows exactly how to handle a gun. If the ones who cause these deaths don't have access to guns, chances are they will still have the same careless attitude when it comes to other weapons or even non-weapons in or around their house. There are actually more accidental deaths every year that involve swimming pools than there is for accidents involving guns.
Posted by: Z FryeI do not believe that stricter gun control will reduce the incidence of accidental death only laws to keep your guns locked up.
I believe the laws pertaining to guns should change but I don't think that taking guns away is the answer. If laws took people's rights away to have guns, then only law breakers would have them. We would be a risk then with no protection at all. I think laws should be made to keep guns locked up in households where there are young children or children at all. Most of the laws are good but not all.
Posted by: takaboI disagree, because I feel like people will still illegally buy guns, and those people tend to be the least careful with their weapons.
There are stories on the weekly local news about children having gotten injured or killed playing with guns. The majority of the stories I have personally seen and heard are of children whose parents have gotten the weapon illegally anyway. Most of the time, in my area anyway, it is a minority child living in public housing who are forced to live with people involved in crimes. It's very sad.
Posted by: MeatyMario87Restricting ownership of guns does not reduce the occurrence of accidental death.
A proper way to prevent accidental death via the misuse of firearms is to teach better gun safety. This is true of everything. People would be (and have been) killing themselves all the time without proper safety labels on some of the safest products imaginable. If someone can kill themselves with a microwavable dinner (which happens all the time), there's not much stopping them from doing it with a gun. However, they're going to get one no matter what if they really want one, and if they get it through improper channels, they certainly won't receive proper safety training.
Posted by: CooingKirby86Hell No
Let me put it this way, would stricter vagina control reduce the incidence of prostitution? What constitutionally protected right would you care to restrict next? More accidental deaths are attributed to swimming pools than guns, by a wide margin. If you wish to prevent accidental deaths guns are about 30 places from the top of the list of major hazards. If you don't believe me Google is your friend, use it.
Posted by: AnonymousI feel that an individual will purchase a gun if they want to if it's authorized or not.
Many individuals who own guns purchased them illegally, therefore, increased gun restrictions or laws do not affect them. And as a result of this, there will be stronger legislation in support of authorizing guns (as opposed to decreased support) so "legal" gun owners can protect themselves from "illegal" gun owners - who are often more likely to commit a crime.
Posted by: QuibarceDefenseless teachers
I believe that stricter gun control laws will inevitably lead toward a stronger presence of guns in the black market. The Second amendment is what separates us from the rest of the world. Arming teachers will allow for more protected classrooms, as well as a defending presence against criminals
Posted by: jmoor70We need education about safety, not gun control measures.
Gun ownership was long something taken for granted. By reducing gun ownership it makes guns more attractive and mysterious to children, which makes them more likely to play with them. Instead, what is needed is education and making sure that the seriousness of gun ownership is understood. Reducing gun ownership doesn't reduce accidental deaths.
Posted by: HumdrumMilo83No, stricter gun control measures do not result in reducing the incidence of accidental death.
Technically yes, gun owners are obviously the ones who accidental death falls upon. However, it is just as easy for someone to find a gun and blow their head off. It shouldn't be thought of like gun control laws regulate accidental death, as prevention and training actually regulate accidental death.
Posted by: LorenaHStricter gun measure can reduce accidental death only if there is education present.
When imposing stricter gun measures, the government needs to impose education for gun owners; with that accidental deaths would decline. Without education on how to properly clean guns, repair guns and reassemble guns, the deaths will continue to rise. There is more to gun safety then telling someone not to point a loaded gun at someone else.
Posted by: WillowsErvReducing gun ownership will not decrease accidental death directly, because accidental death is a result of unsafe gun usage, not gun ownership itself.
Reducing gun ownership will not necessarily decrease accidental death. Death is not a result of gun ownership, but of unsafe gun handling practices. What is needed is not a restriction on gun ownership, but rather education on gun safety, and laws requiring proper gun storage. Handled safely, guns do not pose a large threat of accidental death.
Posted by: PreciousMiguel78