A new analysis by Brady found that unintentional shootings spike during the summer months and major holidays. The week around July 4th sees the second-highest number of unintentional shootings of the entire year, with an average of about 50 unintentional shootings during just the seven-day period between June 29 and July 5.
Brady’s report says that around major holidays and during the summer months, children are more likely to encounter unsecured firearms while out of school and under less supervision, including while at home or visiting the homes of friends and family.
The report reinforces the importance of secure firearm storage—locked, loaded, and separate from ammunition—which has been proven to significantly decrease unintentional shootings. Almost half of all gun owners don’t store their guns securely, and nearly 7 million children live in homes with unlocked and loaded firearms. Brady estimates that if 20% of households with firearms locked up their guns, it could prevent one-third of annual youth gun suicides and unintentional shooting deaths. Parents can also prevent tragedies by asking if guns are stored securely when they visit friends’ homes or schedule playdates.
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