A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the leading cause of death in the year 2020 among children and teens in the United States were guns. The study observed that individuals aged between 1-19 were more likely to die due to firearm incidents rather than vehicle crashes, cancer or drug overdoses.
There were 4,300 deaths due to firearm injuries in 2020, which saw a 29 percent rise from the previous year. This data was based on mortality data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Speaking to NBC News one of the authors Jason Goldstick said “In the last 40 years, and almost certainly before that, this is the first time that firearm injuries have surpassed motor vehicle crashes among kids”
According to the data present most of the children killed by guns in 2020 were 14 years or older. Another study by the American College of Physicians stated that gun ownership had drastically increased during the lockdowns imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. It ges on to state that more than 5 million children below the age of 18 were exposed to guns between 2019 to 2021.
More and more studies are coming to light after the tragic shooting that took place in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. The shooting has once again sparked a heated debate on gun safety and its accessibility in the United States with President Joe Biden vowing earlier this week to push for a "more rational" approach to gun regulation in the wake of the country's latest mass shootings.
