ATLANTA — As kids visit families for the holidays, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention group is reminding Georgians to safely put away fire arms in their homes.

According to the gun violence prevention group Brady United, the week of Christmas and New Year’s have among the highest rates of unintentional shootings of the year.

An estimated 4.6 million children are living in homes with unlocked firearms.

“Store your guns securely. Locked, unloaded and away from ammo,” officials said.

Brady United officials say, storing guns securely and making sure they are locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition “significantly decreases the likelihood of family fire.”

“There are many issues we consider over the winter holidays to keep our homes and families safe, like fire, ladder, and electrical safety,” Colleen Creighton, Senior Director of Brady’s End Family Fire program said. “With guns in one-third of American households — and many of them left unlocked, we need to add firearm safety to that list."

Officials add that discussing safe firearm storage is a key way to protect loved ones during the holiday season.