Industry Intelligence Reports SM INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS Helping Our Helping Our Members Make Informed Decisions Decisions FIREARMS-RELATED ACCIDENT STATISTICS HIGHLIGHTING TRENDS IN THE UNITED STATES Unintentional Deaths Involving Firearms Drop to Lowest Level... since record keeping began in 193, as shown by the data released in the National Safety Council s Injury Facts 217 Edition. In the last two decades, the number of unintentional firearm-related fatalities has declined by 6 percent from 1,225 unintentional fatalities in 1995 to 489 in 215. Firearms are involved in fewer than ½ percent of all unintentional fatalities in the United States. In side-by-side comparisons, firearms accidents continue to rank among the lowest forms of accidental injury. 217 EDITION KEY FINDINGS Firearm-related fatalities in the U.S. have been decreasing since record-keeping began in 193 dramatically in the last 2 years, with 215 being the lowest on record. Unintentional firearms-related deaths in the home have dropped by 55.6 percent in the last 2 years. From 214 to 215, accidental fatalities of all causes increased 8%, while unintentional fatalities related to firearms decreased 17 percent. Firearms are involved in fewer than ½ percent (.3 percent) of all unintentional fatalities in the United States. Firearms are involved in just 1.2 percent of unintentional fatalities among children 14 years of age and under, and are among the least likely types of unintentional fatalities among children. In the last two decades (1995 215), the number of unintentional firearm-related deaths involving children 14 years of age and under has decreased by 73.5 percent. Unintentional firearm-related fatalities are substantially lower than the number of unintentional fatalities from most other forms of injury. From 25-215, unintentional firearm-related fatalities declined by 38 percent while firearms ownership grew by an estimated 34 percent. As firearms safety education programs have increased, the number of unintentional firearmrelated fatalities have decreased. Hunting is one of the safest activities in America. Note: The statistics presented in this issue are based on figures from the National Safety Council s Injury Facts 217 Edition and other sources. For additional source information, please see back cover.
INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS 217 EDITION UNINTENTIONAL FIREARMS FATALITIES DOWN 6% 15 12 9 6 3 1,226 35.6 % 789 2 Years: 6.1% 38 % 489 1995 25 215 Source: National Safety Council Injury Facts 217 Edition Over the last two decades, the number of unintentional fatalities involving firearms has dropped by 6 percent. This decline is attributed to a number of factors, including educational efforts by groups such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation and National Rifle Association, and state-affiliated hunter education programs. Industry-related initiatives include safety education programs such as NSSF s Project ChildSafe, free firearm locking devices voluntarily supplied by firearms manufacturers with new firearms, and technological advances in firearm design and manufacturing. Unintentional Firearm Fatalities See Highest Rate of Decline Compared to other principle types of unintentional fatalities in the United States, firearms continue to show the largest percentage decrease during the past twenty years. **Note: Total includes types of injury not listed in the grid. Other injury type comparisons are not available because of changes in year-to-year classifications. Source: National Safety Council Injury Facts 217 Edition. TYPE 1995 25 215 % change (1 yrs) % change (2 yrs) Firearms 1,226 789 489 down 38% down 6.1% Fires, Flames, Smoke 3,761 3,197 2,646 down 17.2% down 29.6% Motor Vehicles 43,363 45,343 37,757 down 16.7% down 12.9% Choking 3,185 4,386 5,51 up 15.2% up 58.6% ALL TYPES** 93,32 117,89 146,571 up 24.4% up 57.1% Unintentional Fatality Rates: Firearms versus Motor Vehicles Unintentional fatality rates involving firearms remain at their lowest levels in history a rate of.2 per 1, population. Over the past 1 years, the unintentional firearm fatality rate per 1, population has remained at its lowest point of.2. Since the beginning of record-keeping in 193, this rate has declined by 94 percent! The rate of unintentional firearm fatalities is substantially lower than the rate of motor vehicle fatalities. A person is 58.5 times more likely to be involved in an unintentional fatality with a motor vehicle than with a firearm. 2 15 1 5 15.3 15.2 14.6 13.1 11.8 11.4 11.3 11.6 11.2 11.7 11.1.3.2.2.2.2.2.2.2.2.2.2 25 FATALITIES PER 1, POPULATION 26 27 28 29 21 211 1 212 2 213 214 215 Source: National Safety Council Injury Facts 217 Edition (with 215 data) Page 2
217 EDITION INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS Firearms are Involved in Only.3 Percent of All Unintentional Fatalities (For All Ages) TOTAL U.S. POPULATION (215): 321,418,82 Total Unintentional Fatalities 146,571 1% Poisoning 47,478 32.4% Motor Vehicle 37,757 25.8% Falls 33,381 22.8% Suffocation 6,914 4.7% Drowning 3,62 2.5% Fires, Flames & Smoke 2,646 1.8% Natural / Environmental 1,579 1.1% Struck By/Against Object 767.5% Transportation (other than land) 857.6% Machinery 55.4% Firearms 489.3% All Other Accidents 1,551 7.2% FACTS & FIGURES Firearms are Involved in 1.2 Percent of Unintentional Fatalities Among Children For children 14 years of age and under, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of fatality. But firearms accidents are one of the lowest forms of injury among children. 2, 1, 1,346 1,313 636 Suffocation 32.5% Poisoning Fires Drowning Suffocation Motor Vehicle Motor Vehicle 33.3% Source: CDC WISQARS 215 data (data pulled March 217) Source: CDC WISQARS 215 data (data pulled March 217) 235 Unintentional Fatalities: (14 years of age and under) 91 Drowning 15.7% 4,44 67 48 Environmental Fires 5.8% Poisoning 2.3% Enviromental 1.7% Other 7.6% 38 Other Firearms Firearms 1.2% projectchildsafe.org HELP SPREAD THE WORD 3,5 3, 2,5 2, 1,5 1, 5 Historical Flashback Today, the annual number of firearms-related 3,2 accidents is down 84.7 percent 2,799 from a high of 3,2 in 193. 2,385 2,344 2,38 2,12 1,649 1,225 789 489 Firearms-Related Fatalities Among Children 74 Percent Over the last two decades the number of unintentional firearm-related fatalities among youth 14 years of age and under decreased 73.5% while the population for this age group increased 4.7 percent. 2 16 12 8 4 181 ast 2 Years P 75 73.5% 48 193 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 25 215 1995 25 215 Source: National Safety Council Injury Facts 217 Edition Source: CDC WISQARS Injury Mortality Reports through 215 (pulled March 217) Page 3
INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS 217 EDITION Most states reported very few or no fatal firearms accidents in 215 State # of Unintentional Firearms-related Fatalities* Population Crude Rate** AL 2 4,858,979.41 AK * 738,432 AZ * 6,828,65 AR 17 2,978,24.57 CA 29 39,144,818.7 CO * 5,456,574 CT * 3,59,886 DE * 945,934 DC * 672,228 FL 3 2,271,272.15 GA 21 1,214,86.21 HI * 1,431,63 ID * 1,654,93 IL 15 12,859,995.12 IN 14 6,619,68.21 IA * 3,123,899 KS * 2,911,641 KY * 4,425,92 LA 17 4,67,724.36 ME * 1,329,328 MD * 6,6,41 MA * 6,794,422 MI 14 9,922,576.14 MN * 5,489,594 MS 18 2,992,333.6 MO 18 6,83,672.3 MT * 1,32,949 NE * 1,896,19 NV * 2,89,845 NH * 1,33,68 NJ * 8,958,13 NM * 2,85,19 NY * 19,795,791 NC 39 1,42,82.39 ND * 756,927 OH 15 11,613,423.13 OK * 3,911,338 OR * 4,28,977 PA 16 12,82,53.12 RI * 1,56,298 SC 12 4,896,146.25 SD * 858,469 TN 3 6,6,299.45 TX 43 27,469,114.16 UT * 2,995,919 VT * 626,42 VA 14 8,382,993.17 WA * 7,17,351 WV * 1,844,128 WI * 5,771,337 WY * 586,17 Total 489 321,418,82.15 Source: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), WISQARS (Webbased Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System) * CDC WISQARS Fatal Injury Data (28 forward) is suppressed where totals are too low. The figures reported for these states are not available. The National TOTAL reported is the national total and will not equal the numbers supplied in the table. ** Per NCIPC, rates based on 2 or fewer fatalities may be unstable. Use with caution. 215: Types of Unintentional Deaths in the Home Firearms-Related Home Fatalities 55.6% 1, 8 6 4 2 9 44.4% 1995 to 215: 1995 25 215 National Safety Council Injury Facts 217 Edition [Home, 215 section.) Firearms Accidents Decline Even as Firearms Sales Have Increased Dramatically Source: FBI NICS and NSSF research One-half a percent (.5%) of all fatal accidents at home involve Firearms. TOTAL HOME 74,6 % Poisoning 39,6 53.1% Falls 21,1 28.3% Choking 2,6 3.5% Fire, Flames, or Smoke 2,5 3.4% Mechanical Suffocation 1,6 2.1% Drowning 1,1 1.5% Natural Heat or Cold 5.7% Firearms 4.5% Other 5,2 7.% Source: Home Data: Injury Facts Report from the National Safety Council Injury Facts 217 Edition [Home, 215] section 5 55.6% 2% Over the past two decades the number of unintentional firearm-related fatalities in the home decreased by 55.6% and decreased by 2.% over the last 1 years. PAST YEARS NSSF-Adjusted NICS Data 25 7,516,826 26 7,955,64 27 8,83,47 28 8,993,964 29 9,534,131 21 9,436,182 211 1,791,275 212 13,78,285 213 14,796,872 212 13,78,285 215 14,244,24 Total Adjusted NICS Checks (25-215) 118,223,232 4 Page 4
217 EDITION INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS HUNTING One of the safest activities in America ACTIVITY (alphabetically) NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS(a) 215 TOTAL INJURIES(b) 215 INJURIES per 1, PARTICIPANTS ONE (1) INJURY FOR EVERY x PARTICIPANTS Archery (target) 8,4, 4,56 54 1,864 Baseball 11,8, 12,234 1,19 98 Basketball 24,8, 493,11 1,988 5 Bicycle Riding 36,, 488,123 1,356 74 Billiards / Pool 21,5, 3,299 15 6,517 Bowling 35,2, 17,68 5 1,991 Cheerleading 3,7, 4,843 1,14 91 Exercising with Equipment 56,3, 64,94 114 878 Fishing 34,, 66,529 196 511 Football (tackle) 7,8, 399,873 5,127 2 Golf 18,6, 37,369 21 498 Gymnastics 5,8, 35,63 65 165 Hockey (ice) 3,3, 19,283 584 171 Hunting w/ Firearms * 17,656, 6,697 38 2,636 In-line roller skating 4,9, 46,469 948 15 Lacrosse 2,9, 15,999 552 181 Mountain Biking (off road) 5,6, 9,11 161 621 Running / Jogging 44,5, 297,458 668 15 Skateboarding 5,7, 125,145 2,196 46 Snowboarding 4,3, 25,452 592 169 Soccer 14,1, 227,732 1,615 62 Softball 9,8, 95,285 972 13 Swimming 46,3, 98,466 213 47 Tennis 12,8, 23,69 184 542 Volleyball 1,7, 57,67 533 187 Water Skiing 3,5, 7,335 21 477 Weight Lifting 34,8, 17,655 39 323 Wrestling 3,, 39,775 1,326 75 Hunting versus other ACTIVITIES: A person is 27 times more likely to be injured playing softball/baseball than hunting. A person is 29 times more likely to be injured cheerleading than hunting. A person is 36 times more likely to be injured wrestling/bicycle riding than hunting. A person is 43 times more likely to be injured playing soccer than hunting. A person is 52 times more likely to be injured playing basketball than hunting. A person is 58 times more likely to be injured skateboarding than hunting. A person is 135 times more likely to be injured playing tackle football than hunting. SAFEST ACTIVITIES FACTS: PERCENTAGE OF INJURIES PER 1 PARTICIPANTS 1 Billiards / Pool.2% 2 Hunting with Firearms.4% 3 Bowling.5% 4 Archery (target).5% 5 Exercising with Equipment.11% 6 Mountain Biking (off road).16% 7 Tennis.18% 8 Fishing.2% 9 Golf.2% 1 Water Skiing.21% Excise tax collections on items such as firearms and ammunition totaled nearly $3.4 billion from 211-215. More than $547 million of these monies were apportioned to states specifically for the purpose of hunter education and safety training, per USFW apportionment formula. This, along with a strong network of 57, dedicated hunter education instructors, helps make hunting one of the safest activities in America. Sources: USFW & IHEA LESS SAFE ACTIVITIES PERCENTAGE OF INJURIES PER 1 PARTICIPANTS 1 Football (tackle) 5.13% 2 Skateboarding 2.2% 3 Basketball 1.99% 4 Soccer 1.62% 5 Bicycle Riding 1.36% 6 Wrestling 1.33% 7 Cheerleading 1.1% 8 Baseball 1.2% 9 Softball.97% 1 In-line roller skating.95% Sources: (a) Number of Participants: National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) Sports Participation 215 estimates. (b) Total Injuries: Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 215 estimates. * Hunting with firearms total injuries/incidents include CPSC NEISS injury data for Tree Stands (5,525) as well as estimated injuries (1,172) from IHEA Hunter Incident Clearinghouse. The vast majority of these incidents were neither fatalities, nor serious injuries. Page 5
INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS 217 EDITION DEER/VEHICLE COLLISIONS: WHAT ARE YOUR ODDS? Map Legend (odds) Region 215 State with Highest Number of Incidents per Region New England ME odds 1 in 139 Middle Atlantic PA odds 1 in 67 East North Central WI odds 1 in 77 West North Central IA odds 1 in 68 South Atlantic WV odds 1 in 41 East South Central MS odds 1 in 87 West South Central AR odds 1 in 96 Mountain MT odds 1 in 59 Pacific OR odds 1 in 241 Sources: * Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation (DOT) website, posted September 216. ** Estimates for deer/vehicle collisions are based on information by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. Past Years Number of Deaths Caused by Collisions with Animals* in the U.S. 1993 11 1998 165 21 177 24 24 28 24 212 171 214 158 Annual Average (1993-214) 169 Increase in Fatalities 1993 to 214 56% Source: Insurance Information Institute (http://www.iii.org/issue-update/auto-crashes). According to U.S. Dept of Transportation, Federal Hwy Administration, Wildlife- Vehicle Collision Reduction Study, Report to Congress, Aug. 28, deer account for 86.9% of the collisions with larger animals. FACTS: An average of 13,5 human injuries occur annually from deer-vehicle collisions. Deer-vehicle collisions are estimated at greater than 1.3 million each year. Deer-vehicle collisions are estimated to cost Americans more than $5 billion in auto repairs each year. Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. USDOT Federal Highway Administration Wildlife-Vehicle Collision Reduction Study Page 6
217 EDITION INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS FIREARMS-RELATED DEATHS Past Years Homicide -Firearms- Suicide -Firearms- Unintentional Deaths -Firearms- Unintentional Deaths -ALL CAUSES- Crude Rate Homicide Crude Rate Suicide Crude Rate Unintentional Deaths - Firearms - Crude Rate Unintentional Deaths - ALL CAUSES - Population 1995 15,551 18,53 1,225 9,42 5.84 6.95.46 33.95 266,278,43 2 1,81 16,586 776 97,9 3.83 5.88.28 34.7 282,171,936 25 12,352 17,2 789 117,89 4.18 5.75.27 39.83 295,753,151 21 11,78 19,392 66 12,859 3.59 6.28.2 39.14 38,747,58 215 12,979 22,18 489 146,571 4.4 6.85.15 45.6 321,418,82 CHANGES OVER THE PAST YEARS -16.5% 19.% -6.1% 62.1% 2 years (1995-215) 2.2% 32.8% -37.% 49.7% 15 years (2-215) 5.1% 29.5% -38.% 24.4% 1 years (25-215) 17.2% 13.5% -19.3% 21.3% 5 years (21-215) Reported figures for All Ages which include those of unknown age. Produced by: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC Data Source: NCHS Vital Statistics System for numbers of deaths. Bureau of Census for population estimates. FACT: There s a greater number of suicides committed annually using a firearm than there are homicides committed with a firearm. About two-thirds of all firearm fatalities are suicides. FIREARMS-RELATED DEATHS: INTENTIONAL AND UNINTENTIONAL 25, 2, 15, 1, Suicide - Firearms Homicide - Firearms Unintentional Deaths - Firearms 5, 1995 2 25 21 215 UNINTENTIONAL DEATHS: ALL CAUSES VS. FIREARMS-RELATED 15, 12, 9, 6, Unintentional Deaths -ALL Causes Unintentional Deaths - Firearms 3, 1995 2 25 21 215 Page 7
INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS 217 EDITION INDUSTRY EFFORTS AND PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP PREVENT FIREARMS MISUSE As a responsible firearm owner, you know safe handling and secure storage go hand in hand. Join Project ChildSafe to help better educate more gun owners about safe and proper storage when firearms are not in use. Over the past 15 years, Project ChildSafe has distributed more than 37 million safety kits with gun locks to over 15, communities nationwide, in partnership with law enforcement, to help decrease firearm accidents, thefts and suicides. It helps save lives. Visit ProjectChildSafe.org to learn more about secure storage options, take the firearms safety pledge, and download tools to help you educate others about firearm safety and security. Brought to you by the firearms industry Page 8
217 EDITION INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS Don t Lie for the Other Guy TM National Campaign Is Spreading the Message TM Convicted felons, minors, persons determined by a court of law to be mentally defective and certain others are prohibited by law from buying a firearm. The Don t Lie for the Other Guy national campaign drives home the message that anyone attempting an illegal firearm purchase faces a stiff federal penalty. If a friend or relative asks you to lie to a federally licensed firearms retailer to try to buy a gun for them, don t do it! It s not worth 1 years in jail. Understanding the importance of cooperating with law enforcement, the firearms industry through the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) -- the industry s trade association -- has for nearly two decades partnered with the Department of Justice s (DOJ) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to assist law enforcement in educating firearms retailers to be better able to identify and deter illegal straw purchases of firearms and to raise public awareness that straw purchasing is a serious crime. The Don t Lie for the Other Guy program has been welcomed by firearms retailers as a valuable educational tool to better enable them to spot would-be straw purchasers and prevent illegal straw purchases. The ATF/DOJ-OJP/NSSF partnership is a great example of coordination and tangible success on the federal, state, and local levels and with federally licensed firearms retailers throughout the country. Firearms and Suicide Prevention NSSF Partners with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and Project 225 With suicide accounting for nearly two-thirds of all firearm fatalities annually over the past decade, the topic of suicide prevention deserves attention. In recent years NSSF has worked with the Veterans Administration, the State of Utah and mental health agencies to help educate gun owners and the public on how to keep firearms safely out of reach of those who, during a period of despair, decide to do themselves harm. In August 216, NSSF and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) partnered to embark on a first-of-its-kind national plan to build and implement public education resources for firearms retailers, shooting ranges and the firearms-owning community about suicide prevention and firearms. Based on a four-state pilot program that involved firearms retailers and shooting ranges, NSSF and AFSP jointly developed strategies and resources to provide materials to firearm owners about warning signs, prevention resources and secure firearms storage options. AFSP s Project 225, an initiative to reduce the annual suicide rate 2 percent by 225, is an effort that NSSF supports. Experts tell us that suicide results from the culmination of several health and life factors, with the decision to act often being made in a matter of minutes. Keeping firearms securely stored puts space between the period of risk and the means to act, and sometimes that space can be enough to help save a life. Page 9
About NSSF The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and recreational shooting sports industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF s membership consists of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to nssf.org. Sources NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL (NSC) INJURY FACTS 216 EDITION CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) NATIONAL SPORTING GOODS ASSOCIATION (NSGA) INTERNATIONAL HUNTER EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (IHEA) CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC) NATIONAL ELECTRONIC INJURY SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (NEISS) STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY The National Safety Council, chartered by an act of Congress, is a non-government, not-for-profit, public service organization with a mission to educate and influence people to prevent unintentional injury and death. Injury Facts, the Council s annual statistical report on unintentional injuries, is prepared by the Research and Statistical Services Group. It has Reported Accidental Firearms Injury Statistics since 193. nsc.org The CDC is one of the major operating components of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. WISQARS is the CDC s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Webbased Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. (25)[cited 217 March 2]. Available from: cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/ The NSGA Sports Participation report provides data on total sports participation, new participation and frequency of participation. nsga.org The International Hunter Education Association is the professional association for 63 state and provincial wildlife conservation agencies and the more than 55, instructors/volunteer instructors who teach hunter education. ihea-usa.org The CPSC s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) is a national probability sample of hospitals in the U.S. and its territories. Patient information is collected from each NEISS hospital for every emergency visit involving an injury associated with consumer products. From this sample, the total number of product-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms nationwide can be estimated. cpsc.gov/en/research--statistics/neiss-injury-data/ For charts containing individual state data, as well as other information, visit statefarm.com. Report provided by NSSF. For additional research materials, please visit nssf.org/research 217 National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved Item #33133-17 7/17