(Kentucky News Connection) Gun deaths among children nationwide have increased by 87 percent over the past decade, while injuries and deaths from car accidents have decreased by nearly half, according to a new study. The data show more than 2,500 kids and teenagers died of firearm injuries in 2021. 

Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician at Children's National Hospital, said while many households own guns for recreation or protection against intruders, guns in the home have consistently been linked to increased risk for homicides and suicides.

"Those of us who do this work, those of us who work in children's hospitals are not at all surprised to see these numbers. And the most frustrating thing about this as a pediatrician is that these deaths and injuries are preventable," Andrews explained.

Andrews added gun violence is worsening in the midst of a mental health crisis, especially among youths, and noted impulsive behavior among teens combined with high rates of depression and anxiety and easy access to firearms have driven fatality rates for firearm suicide among young people up by 85 percent. 

"If they have a passing impulse to harm themselves, and in that moment of the passing impulse, they also have access to an unsecured firearm, that impulse can turn lethal in a matter of seconds," she continued. 

Parents can find more information on how to prevent unintentional shootings through the
Be SMART For Kids secure storage campaign, which encourages families to normalize conversations about gun safety and take actions that can prevent gun injuries, deaths, and youth suicide.