Unfortunately, too many firearm accidents occur in the home, and most of these are entirely avoidable. Taking simple precautions will allow you to prevent accidents with a great degree of certainty. First things first, make sure to store your weapons in a locked cabinet, gun vault, gun safe or storage case whenever you are not using them. This way, they will be locked away and out of the hands of any children.

Another overlooked aspect of this element of gun safety is that, in the event of a break-in when you are not home, criminals will not be able to obtain and use your weapons to potentially harm others in the com-munity. To this end, use a gun lock-ing device for your weapons. Gun locking devices ensure that your firearm is not usable when you do not want to use it, so gun locks ought to be used as an additional safety procedure to implement. While this is not a substitute for safe gun storage, it is another step that makes gun ownership even safer for everyone.

If you have children, education is an essential responsibility of gun ownership. Instruct your children on the safety protocols required when owning a firearm, and help them understand the severity of gun safety. Further, inform your children that if they ever find a firearm that is unattended and not locked away, they must find and inform an adult immediately.

Also, never procrastinate when it comes to weapon safety. This means that even if you are tired after a hunting trip or an afternoon at the shooting range, unload, clean and lock your firearms away securely in their designated storage location immediately upon returning.

Following all of this essential advice to the letter will keep you and your loved ones safe while exercising your 2nd Amendment rights.