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Every child has the right to be protected from the dangers of a gun.
 Childproof Handguns make good sense!
Many products are regulated to make them safe to be used around children:
- Medicine bottles have childproof caps;
- Toys for young children are made with parts that cannot be swallowed; and
- Teddy bears and dolls must be made of non-toxic, non-flammable materials
Handguns, which are intrinsically lethal, are exempt
from any federal product safety standards.
What is a Childproof Handgun?
A Childproof Handgun is one that can only be fired by an authorized user. There are several models currently on the market with sophisticated internal locking mechanisms that cannot be overcome by a child or teen. In addition, technology is being created that could 'read' the unique palm print or fingerprint of its legal owner. Making handguns childproof only makes our children and families safer.
There is no reason for a child to be able to fire a handgun.
How will Childproof Handguns help?
Childproof Handguns can play an important preventive role in keeping children safe from gun death and injury.
This would protect children, and also adults, from misuse of firearms when they are in the hands of unauthorized users such as children or depressed teens.
We believe that an industry-wide standard of Childproof Handguns will:
- reduce unintentional firearm deaths,
- reduce firearm injury, and
- reduce gun suicides
of our children and teens.
What is the Childproof Handgun Initiative?
The Million Mom March Chapters of the Brady Campaign are working on an initiative to Childproof Handguns. We are seeking state and federal legislation that requires all new handguns sold to be childproofed.
 Think about it, we have laws protecting our children in cars; we have prescription and over-the-counter medicine in childproof containers; we regularly childproof our house with cabinet locks, gates on the stairs, fences around the pool, and safety plugs for electrical outlets.
But we haven't childproofed the most dangerous and lethal item in our house. And whether it's a curious kid who accidentally finds the gun, or a depressed teen who is intentionally looking for
it, a Childproof Handgun would be inoperable to an unauthorized user.
 Click here to download an Overview.
Here are the facts:
- Every day, 8 children and teenagers a day are killed and more than 47 are injured by a
firearm.1
- 34% of American children live in homes with at least one firearm (representing more than 22 million children in 11 million homes). 2
- Among homes with children and firearms, 40% have at least one unlocked firearm and 13% kept their unlocked firearm loaded or stored with ammunition.3
- More than 75% of kids in homes with guns say they know where the gun is kept.4
1Centers for Disease Control. Mortality data: 2005, released in January
2008. Injury data: 2006. 2RAND Corporation, 2001. 3,4Benenson
Strategy Group Study/PAX, 32002, 42006.
Click here to download our full Fact Sheet.
One child's death or injury from a gun is one too many.
What Can You Do?
Join your Chapter's work on the Childproof Handguns Initiative.
Go to www.millionmommarch.org or call 888-989-MOMS to find the Chapter nearest you.
Click here to download our Endorsement Form.
Click here to download our Childproof Handguns brochure.
The Childproof Handgun Initiative is a project of the Million Mom March Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a national network of 75 Chapters around the U.S. that work locally, yet stand together, in their fight against gun violence and the devastation it causes.
MILLION MOM MARCH CHAPTERS'
CHILDPROOF HANDGUN INITIATIVE
www.childproofhandguns.org
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