CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. () — In the United States, accidental shooting is the top cause of death for children ages one to seventeen — a new bill in the Georgia legislature is hoping to help change that.

House Bill 161 also known as the Pediatric Health Safe Storage Act says that family members of children under 18 must have loaded firearms secured by placing the firearm in a locked container or temporarily making the firearm inoperable by a trigger lock. A violation of this code will be a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature when the child discharges the firearm and causes death or serious bodily injury.

News 3 spoke to Sheriff Wilcher about the proposed legislation; he thinks a different issue involving guns and young people is more urgent.

“When people leave guns in their cars and their cars are unlocked and juveniles or young adults steal them that’s where your violence is right there,” Wilcher explained.

There are exceptions to the bill like if a child is being supervised by an adult for hunting or sport shooting, if the child stole the gun in a robbery, or if the child shot someone in lawful self-defense. Wilcher said that gun safety starts at home and that’s the only thing that can prevent unexpected tragedy.

“You have to teach a young child or young adult the right and wrong way with bothering guns just like grandma says don’t go touch that stove because it’s hot it’s the same way with a gun don’t go messing with it because it will hurt you.”

If the bill passes, parents could face possible jail time or a fine up to $5,000.

“A child that’s five or six who has no knowledge and has not been taught anything about the safety of a firearm they don’t know what it is they think it the toy so safety begins with the parents I think personally,” Wilcher told News 3.

If you own a firearm and would like a gun lock you can call the sheriff’s office they also host free firearm safety courses once a month and the link for that schedule can be found here.