Posted on 08/18/2019 4:12:50 AM PDT by marktwain
This article is an updated version of the article published in January of 2017. Since then, the CDC corrected the number of fatal firearm accidents for 2014, the error being found and pointed out by Dr. John Lott.
The reduction of fatal firearms accidents is one of the great, unnoticed success stories of the last 85 years. The rate of unintended firearm fatalities has been reduced by 94% since 1933.
It is not simple to determine the rate of fatal firearm accidents in the United States over the long term. In the chart above, three sources were used. The first precise numbers were collected in 1933.
Rates and numbers from 1933-1987 are available from Kleck, Point Blank Page 306 Table 7.1.
The numbers for 1981-2000 were found in An Analysis of Firearm-Related Accidents in the United States(pdf). Rates were calculated using Census figures.
From 1999-2017 numbers were available in WISQARS, population for per capital rates was taken from U.S. Census figures.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
We obviously need more “gun safety” laws that would ban virtually every gun. /sarcasm
Question: There are at least three explanations, and it would be nice to know the contribution of each
1. Materials failures that injure someone unintentionally - barrel failure, etc.
2. Improved safety features
3. Reduced idiocy through training and public education - accidental discharge of loaded gun, gun goes off in your pants, shooting self playing quickdraw mcgraw- etc.
A prime example of how much safer excessive gun laws makes us all!
(sarcasm with a hint of pesky truth, the best kind of sarcasm)
I do not think we can separate out those three factors, and there is a fourth as well.
However, Material failure has always been very, very low. I cannot remember a case where a person was killed because of the material failure of a firearm. Probabaly out there, they are exceedingly rare.
I suspect safety features have had a significant effect. It is now difficult to find a pistol that will fire if dropped.
Long gun makers have done much to decrease the potential of unintentional discharge.
Reduced idiocy through better training and education is my candidate for the majority of the reduction.
A significant contribution is better medical treatment and emergency care. We save many people who would have died 50 years ago.
Is it possible that before the advent of forensic sciences and federal law enforcement that many murders were written up as ‘accidents’?
Gen grabbers are going to credit strict regulations on carrying and registration.
I have weapons that date back to the late 19th century to today. My modern weapons are much safer than the older ones. For instance, take your standard S&W revolver. If you compare one from the 1920s to one from today, they look very similar, but mechanically, they are very different. The S&W pistol from the 1920s can accidentally fire if dropped; not so the modern one.
As to you listing better medical treatment. Many firearm accidents that would have killed you in 1934, would be a two hour medical trip now, e.g. antibiotics.
Having said that, the reduction from 2000 to now is very impressive.
With proper gun laws, there would be none /s
Yes, and I suspect a fair number of suicides were treated as accidents.
I was actually thinking about if gun suicides were written up as accidents more so in the past than now. I always used to see that in cop shows, where a police officer that committed suicide was said to have had an accident while cleaning his service weapon. Supposedly to spare the family and retain insurance and benefits. It’s hollywood so who knows. But for sure suicide was much more looked down on in the past, especially for religious reasons.
Freegards
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