The pursuit of gun safety in a new era: Exploring predictors of firearm storage practices among the public

Given rising concerns about gun violence and the extent of parental liability, we examine firearm storage practices among the public. Using a subsample of respondents with guns in their households ( n = 525) drawn from a nationally representative survey ( N = 1271), we address two key research questions. First, to what extent do gun-owners engage in potentially unsafe firearm storage (e.g., keeping firearms unlocked, loaded, or with ammunition in reach)? Second, what factors are associated with these risky practices among the public? Overall, our findings suggest that prior use of guns within one's profession, personal experiences with firearms (e.g., victimization, having witnessed gun violence), living in a child-free household, and other socio-demographic factors, particularly gender, are tied with the likelihood of engaging in risky storage habits. The implications of study findings are discussed. • Gun storage habits are important to understand within the context of public safety. • Substantial numbers of gun owners report questionable storage practices. • Various factors (e.g., experiences with guns/violence) are associated with risky storage habits. • Other characteristics (e.g., child-centered) and socio-demographic traits are relevant as well. • Implications include gun safety outreach that is targeted and tailored to specific groups.