WHEN gunshots make the headlines, it is never a joking matter. But when an employee of the National Rifle Association (NRA) shot and wounded himself during a firearms training session on April 8th, few could resist pointing out the irony. Injuries from such accidental shootings, which occur nearly twice every hour in America, are at least becoming less common. Having fewer guns around would reduce that risk even further.

Of the leading causes of accidental injuries in America, guns still rank well behind falls, car crashes and dog bites. Nevertheless, according to the Centres for Disease Control, some 500 Americans died from gun accidents in 2015. That figure has decreased in the past decade, probably because the share of American households that own guns is falling. Higher rates of ownership are linked to more deaths. Fatal accidents are roughly nine times more common in states where more people have firearms, like Louisiana and Alabama, than in states with fewer guns like New York and New Jersey.

It is tempting to assume that shooting accidents are the result of amateur mistakes. But even skilled marksmen can misfire. In 2015 the New York Police Department recorded 15 unintentional discharges, resulting in three injuries. From 2003 to 2011, by one estimate, more than 90 American soldiers lost their lives to firearms mishaps. Gun advocates often refer to such incidents as “negligent” rather than “accidental” discharges to emphasise that they are the result of careless behaviour, rather than mechanical error. But as the incident at the NRA makes clear, guns present significant risks even in the most capable hands.