Enactment of I-676 will end up costing lives. Fatal firearm accidents fell in 1994, to the lowest annual number since record-keeping began in 1903. While drowning deaths would seem to outnumber firearm accidents by almost 3 to 1, that's not a fair comparison of the relative risks of accidental death. Lawfully-owned firearms in private hands in America are estimated at 200 million. With firearms outnumbering pools by a factor of over 30 to 1, the real risk of accidental death from drowning in a pool is nearly 100 times higher than from a firearm.
Any accidental death is tragic.
In 1995, Dr. Gary Kleck and Marc Gertz released the results of their research, and found 2.5 million or more instances of firearms used for self- defense, yearly. Further testimony about lives saved with a firearm came earlier this year from the University of Chicago. The net effect of allowing concealed handguns is clearly to save lives. The deterrent effect of firearms carried by some citizens benefits all the rest of society, as well, because it's the criminal's perception that many armed citizens may be walking the streets which is responsible for the deterrence in criminal behavior that Dr. Lott found. Instead of saving lives, I-676 will more likely send us down the fast track in the wrong direction.