Worried About Guns With Teens In The House? What Are Your Best Safekeeping Options?
Posted on: 9 May 2017
If you're a parent of teenagers, you may be concerned about the wisdom or safety of keeping firearms (loaded or unloaded) in the house. Even if your own teenager is responsible and well-trained in the safe use and handling of firearms, his or her friends may not be -- and between reports of teen suicide, drug abuse leading to petty theft and burglary, and other concerns, allowing unfettered access to guns by those whose prefrontal cortexes haven't quite reached full development may be more risk than you're willing to accept. However, you may also worry about keeping your guns locked away in the event of an emergency requiring quick action. Read on to learn more about the best gun safekeeping options for parents of teenagers.
Biometric safe
Biometric technology has made it easier than ever to keep your guns secure from all but those who are specifically granted access. Biometric gun safes can allow you to program in a number of different fingerprints that can be used to gain access -- and even better, many of today's biometric safes can also allow you to wirelessly add and delete users at any time. This can mean that you can grant your teenager access to the safe during certain times of the day (like when he or she is home alone after school) and restrict his or her access at other times (like when friends are visiting).
Those whose fingerprints aren't programmed into the safe won't be able to open it, ensuring the safety of you and your family members if you're the victims of a burglary or home invasion where you may be at risk of being attacked or injured by an assailant who has gained access to a loaded gun. Having a specific biometric profile associated with each user can also give you information on when (and by whom) the safe is being opened, helping you be the first to know if your teen seems to be opening the gun safe more often than necessary.
Biometric padlock
Another alternative to a biometric safe is a padlocked gun safe that operates on biometric principles. These biometric locks can usually be activated and opened with the touch of a finger, eliminating the risk of fumbling for a key (or combination) in a dimly-lit room. A biometric lock can also save you money by allowing you to repurpose your existing gun safe while still ensuring you can have instant access in an emergency.
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