WASHINGTON: Nearly 60 per cent of Americans are willing to purchase a childproof gun that is only operable in the hands of an authorised user, a new survey suggests, debunking the widely used argument by the gun lobby that there is no market for 'smart' weapons.
In addition to high overall support, the survey found that four in 10 gun owners and 56 per cent of political conservatives surveyed are willing to purchase a smart gun, researchers said.
The findings of the research, led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, are consistent with the growing national interest in using technology to reduce the toll of gun deaths in the US.
Proponents of smart guns say their widespread use would cut down on suicides, stolen or borrowed guns that go on to be used in crimes and accidental shootings by children.
Objections from gun manufacturers and the gun lobby - including opposition to any requirements mandating the sale of smart over traditional guns - have kept them from being produced on a large scale, researchers said. Smart guns are not currently sold in the US.
To examine public interest in purchasing smart guns, also known as childproof or personalised guns, the study team conducted a nationally representative, web-based survey in January 2015, getting responses from 3,949 people.
More than twice as many gun owners said they would be willing to purchase a childproof gun than would be unwilling. The guns were most supported by political liberals (71 per cent), but support was also high among political moderates (56 per cent) and conservatives (56 per cent).
Many cars use RFID to allow for keyless entry and keyless ignitions.
The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health.
In addition to high overall support, the survey found that four in 10 gun owners and 56 per cent of political conservatives surveyed are willing to purchase a smart gun, researchers said.
The findings of the research, led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, are consistent with the growing national interest in using technology to reduce the toll of gun deaths in the US.
Proponents of smart guns say their widespread use would cut down on suicides, stolen or borrowed guns that go on to be used in crimes and accidental shootings by children.
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Objections from gun manufacturers and the gun lobby - including opposition to any requirements mandating the sale of smart over traditional guns - have kept them from being produced on a large scale, researchers said. Smart guns are not currently sold in the US.
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To examine public interest in purchasing smart guns, also known as childproof or personalised guns, the study team conducted a nationally representative, web-based survey in January 2015, getting responses from 3,949 people.
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More than twice as many gun owners said they would be willing to purchase a childproof gun than would be unwilling. The guns were most supported by political liberals (71 per cent), but support was also high among political moderates (56 per cent) and conservatives (56 per cent).
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Many cars use RFID to allow for keyless entry and keyless ignitions.
Advertisement
The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health.
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