Resources

Children deserve to feel safe, no matter where they are.

By sharing the Be SMART message, you are helping to emphasize the importance of responsible gun ownership and secure gun storage. Ultimately, secure gun storage prevents kids from accessing guns. When we protect our kids from the dangers of gun violence, the whole community stands to benefit.

Use the resources below to learn more about the Be SMART campaign and how you can help spread the Be SMART message. Watch the full campaign video; explore the Gunfire on School Grounds map and the #NotAnAccident map of unintentional shootings by children; download and print the Be SMART handouts; and spread the word by sharing our Be SMART social media graphics.

Be SMART Handouts

Download Be SMART handouts about secure storage practices and types of secure storage. All handouts are designed to be printed on 8.5 x 11 inch paper.

Asking About Secure Gun Storage

Secure Storage Toolkit

Secure Storage Practices to Reduce Gun Violence

About Be SMART

Guide to Secure Gun Storage Devices

Facts and Resources on Child Firearm Suicide

Talking to Your Children About Guns

Keeping Your Home Safe with Secure Storage

Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth from Firearm Suicide

everytown-full-not-an-accident-map

#NotAnAccident Map

Everytown collects information from media reports about incidents in which a child under 18 unintentionally shoots themself or someone else. This index shows where these incidents occur and whether they result in an injury or death.

everytown-full-gunfire-on-school-grounds-map

Gunfire on School Grounds in the United States

Everytown started tracking incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2013. This map shows where those incidents occurred and the outcome of each.

Gun Thefts from Cars: The Largest Source of Stolen Guns

Research from Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund finds that in cities that report data to the FBI, gun thefts from cars are the largest source of stolen guns.

Car thief opening stolen car doors

Preventable Tragedies: Findings on Unintentional Shootings by Children

In 2015, Everytown started a database to track unintentional shootings by children. This report provides an analysis of over 2,800 incidents that took place between 2015 and 2022 with a deeper examination of where, when, and how unintentional child shootings occur and the steps we can take to prevent them.

Collage of a map and an image of children running in tall grass

Be SMART Campaign Video

Be SMART Video

S is for SECURE

M is for MODEL

A is for ASK

R is for RECOGNIZE

T is for Tell

Virtual Trivia Night PSA

Spread the Word

Share the following graphics on Facebook or download for Instagram and Threads.

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The Bigger Picture

Important facts about gun violence in America

4.6 million American children live in homes with guns that are both loaded and unlocked.1

Every year, more than 700 children 17 and under die by suicide with a gun.2

Every year, nearly 360 children in the US under the age of 18 gain access to a firearm and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else.3

¾ of school shooters acquired their firearm from the home of a parent or close relative.4

Households that lock both firearms and ammunition have a 78 percent lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries among children and teenagers.5

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Sources

  1. Matthew Miller and Deborah Azrael, “Firearm Storage in US Households with Children: Findings from the 2021 National Firearm Survey,” JAMA Network Open 5, no. 2 (2022): e2148823.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, WONDER Online Database, Underlying Cause of Death. Average: 2018-2022. Ages: 0–17.
  3. Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, “#NotAnAccident Index,” https://everytownresearch.org/maps/notanaccident/. Average: 2015–2023.
  4. National Threat Assessment Center, “Protecting America’s Schools: A US Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence,” US Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, 2019, https://bit.ly/2U7vnwa.
  5. David C. Grossman et al., “Gun Storage Practices and Risk of Youth Suicide and Unintentional Firearm Injuries,” JAMA 293, no. 6 (2005): 707–14.

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