Reference page · Updated September 29, 2026
A practical collection of sourced figures for property owners, writers, and professionals covering automatic gate safety, power outages, and property access.
At a glance
Automatic driveway gates are part of daily access, not just a piece of hardware at the road. This page brings together the clearest public numbers we found on gate safety and the power interruptions that can affect an operator.
The figures below are national unless noted otherwise. Each is linked to its original source so it can be checked, cited, and used with the context it deserves.
Citable statistics
32
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said 20 of those deaths involved children. This is historical data, published in 2001, and shows why a gate’s safety devices and entrapment protection matter.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, October 23, 2001 ↗Nearly 25,000
The same federal safety release estimated that about 9,000 of those injuries involved children under age 15. The estimate applies to automatic security gates at homes, apartment communities, garages, parking areas, and commercial properties.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, October 23, 2001 ↗33.9 million
That equals about one in four households. For an electric gate, a practical power plan matters just as much as the operator itself.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Housing Survey, published October 2, 2024 ↗35.4%
The comparable urban figure was 22.8%. Hill Country properties often need a deliberate conversation about power, batteries, solar capability, manual release, and safe access during an outage.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Housing Survey, published October 2, 2024 ↗About 70%
That is 23.6 million households. A backup plan is not a luxury feature when access to a home, ranch, or business relies on an operator.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Housing Survey, published October 2, 2024 ↗Every 5.3 seconds
This is a national reported-crime figure, not a measure of gate effectiveness. It provides context for why property access and entry design remain practical concerns for homeowners and businesses.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2024 reported-crime data, released August 5, 2025 ↗Methodology & sources
This is a curated public reference, not a study of Wimberley Gate Company customers or of one local area. Older gate-safety figures remain here because they are the federal figures that explain the safety standard’s history. They are labeled with their period and publication date rather than presented as current annual totals.
Last reviewed: September 29, 2026. This page is reviewed regularly and refreshed when a source publishes a materially newer figure.
Cite this page
Suggested citation: Wimberley Gate Company. “Automatic Gate Safety & Power Statistics.” https://wimberleygate.com/automatic-gate-statistics. Updated September 29, 2026.
For a gate that needs a safety check, a better power plan, or reliable access control, see gate operator service or request a quote.