Other countries are simply trying harder to keep their children alive. They have studied major causes of death and then attacked them, in an evidence-based way.

What would such an approach look like in this country?

On guns, it would start with universal background checks and tighter semiautomatic restrictions. The United States is always likely to have gun deaths, given the sheer number of guns, but we could have many fewer.

On vehicle deaths, we could mostly copy what other countries have already done: enforce speeding laws, crack down on “buzzed” driving, encourage seatbelts. Because we have lagged, American roads have gone from being average on safety to being the most dangerous in the affluent world.

On infant mortality, the solutions are more complex. They probably involve patching up the flawed safety net. Notably, infant mortality has fallen in states that expanded Medicaid under Obamacare — and risen slightly in states that didn’t, according to a study in the American Journal of Public Health.

When you look at the big causes of preventable childhood death, it’s hard not to notice a political pattern. One party — the Republican Party — is blocking sensible gun laws. The same party has been trying to take away people’s health insurance. And while traffic safety is a bipartisan problem, blue states are generally trying harder than red states.

All of which is a good reminder to get politically engaged. If the current crop of politicians isn’t willing to protect our children from harm, let’s replace them with politicians — from either party — who are.