Guns became the leading cause of death among children and teens in 2020, killing more people ages 1 to 19 in the U.S. than vehicle crashes, drugs overdoses or cancer.
"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," said a co-author of the letter, Jason Goldstick, a research associate professor at the University of Michigan.Goldstick said homicides, rather than suicides, made up the majority of firearm deaths among children and teens in 2020.
The number of car-related deaths — the former leading cause of death among children and teens — has dropped dramatically in the U.S. over the last 20 years, likely because of vehicle safety improvements. Around 3,900 people ages 1 to 19 died from vehicle crashes in 2020. "You can reduce injury rates without banning guns, just like everyone reduced motor vehicle crash rates without banning cars," Goldstick said. The letter does not list specific policy solutions or funding priorities that could best solve the problem.
Most of the children killed by firearms in 2020 were 14 and older, Goldstick said, even though the legal age to purchase guns is 18. "Kids don’t buy firearms, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not possible for kids to get access," he said.
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