MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- A new study reports that more Tennesseans died as a result of gun violence in a recent year than as a result of traffic accidents.
The Violence Policy Center says it analyzed data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and discovered that gun deaths exceeded traffic deaths in 17 states in 2013.
In that year there were 1030 gun related deaths in Tennessee, and 1027 motor vehicle deaths.
VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand says firearms are the last consumer product in the United States that isn't subject to federal health and safety regulations.
“We’ve had so much success in reducing motor vehicle deaths by approaching this from a public health point of view and applying injury prevention strategies and it’s time we do the same thing with respect to firearms.”
Would you like to review the VPC study?