Firearm safety in the United States is governed by federal and state laws, with background checks and mandatory training being critical components. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) prevents approximately 400,000 prohibited individuals from purchasing firearms annually. Safe storage laws, such as those in California and Florida, have reduced firearm suicides by 30% and accidental deaths by 40% in states with strict regulations.

The effectiveness of U.S. firearm safety frameworks stems from layered federal and state policies. The 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban reduced firearm homicides by 6.2% in affected states, per a 2013 study in the Journal of Public Health. Universal background checks, mandated in 2022 after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, lowered firearm purchases by prohibited individuals by 70% in the first six months, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). States with universal background checks also saw a 25% decrease in firearm suicides post-2020, per data from the CDC. However, gaps persist: only 35% of U.S. households storing firearms use locks, per a 2021 National Safety Council survey, contributing to 4.6 million children accessing unsecured firearms yearly. Federal incentives, such as the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act’s $1 billion funding for safe storage programs, aim to address these disparities. While progress exists, inconsistent state implementation and enforcement challenges remain barriers to national safety goals.