Skip to main content

Safety Devices for Firearms

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Pediatric Firearm Injuries and Fatalities

Abstract

Safety devices are the cornerstone of safe firearm storage, which is known to reduce pediatric injuries and death from firearms. Multiple types of safety devices exist including cable locks, gun safes, or lock boxes. More recently, electronic systems have been developed that directly secure a firearm without an external device and are often referred to as “smart guns.” Approved safety devices and their compatibility with a given firearm are catalogued through a database maintained by the California Attorney General’s Office. Recent public health studies have indicated communities have preferences for what types of firearm safety devices they most prefer and are likely to use, which include gun safes or biometric gun safes that require the “fingerprint” of an authorized user. Additionally, studies have indicated educational material for safety devices is readily available and community events can effectively distribute safety devices and improve their use.

‘We need the iPhone of guns’: Will smart guns transform the gun industry?

By Michael S. Rosenwald

February 17, 2014. The Washington Post

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The authors of this guide indicated that through online polling, they were informed that holding events at a sporting goods location was of the highest interest to their population.

  2. 2.

    The authors note that a majority of their giveaway events have received financial support from local hospitals and/or healthcare systems and some smaller contributions have been made by additional community partners. However, they do not require a financial sponsorship to participate as a community partner for an event.

Suggested Readings

  1. Azad HA, Monuteaux MC, Rees CA, Siegel M, Mannix R, Lee LK, Sheehan KM, Fleegler EW. Child access prevention firearm laws and firearm fatalities among children aged 0 to 14 years, 1991-2016. JAMA Pediatr. 2020;174(5):463–469. 

    Google Scholar 

  2. Carbone PS, Clemens CJ, Ball TM. Effectiveness of gun-safety counseling and a gun lock giveaway in a Hispanic community. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2005;159(11):1049–54. 

    Google Scholar 

  3. Coyne-Beasley T, Schoenbach VJ, Johnson RM. “Love our kids, lock your guns”: a community-based firearm safety counseling and gun lock distribution program. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001;155(6):659–64. 

    Google Scholar 

  4. Crifasi CK, O’Dwyer JK, McGinty EE, Webster DW, Barry CL. Desirability of personalized guns among current gun owners. Am J Prev Med. 2019;57(2):191–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Grossman DC, Stafford HA, Koepsell TD, Hill R, Retzer KD, Jones W. Improving firearm storage in Alaska native villages: a randomized trial of household gun cabinets. Am J Public Health. 2012;102(SUPPL. 2):291–7. 

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hoops K, Crifasi C. Pediatric resident firearm-related anticipatory guidance: Why are we still not talking about guns? Prev Med. 2019;124:29–32. 

    Google Scholar 

  7. Rowhani-Rahbar A, Simonetti JA, Rivara FP. Effectiveness of interventions to promote safe firearm storage. Epidemiol Rev. 2016;38(1):111–24. 

    Google Scholar 

  8. Siegel M, Pahn M, Xuan Z, Ross CS, Galea S, Kalesan B, Fleegler E, Goss KA. Firearm-Related Laws in All 50 US States, 1991-2016. Am J Public Health. 2017;107(7):1122–9. 

    Google Scholar 

  9. Simonetti JA, Rowhani-Rahbar A, King C, Bennett E, Rivara FP. Evaluation of a community-based safe firearm and ammunition storage intervention. Inj Prev. 2018;24(3):218–23. 

    Google Scholar 

  10. Simonetti J, Simeona C, Gallagher C, Bennett E, Rivara F, Rowhani-Rahbar A. Preferences for firearm locking devices and device features among participants in a firearm safety event. West J Emerg Med. 2019;20(4):552–6. 

    Google Scholar 

  11. Teret SP, Culross PL. Product-oriented approaches to reducing youth gun violence. Future Child. 2002;12(2):119–31.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Violano P, Bonne S, Duncan T, Pappas P, Britton Christmas A, Dennis A, Crandall M. Prevention of firearm injuries with gun safety devices and safe storage: an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Systematic review. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2018;84(6):1003–11.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James Dodington .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Dodington, J. (2021). Safety Devices for Firearms. In: Lee, L.K., Fleegler, E.W. (eds) Pediatric Firearm Injuries and Fatalities . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62245-9_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62245-9_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-62244-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-62245-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics