Nanny state on the march? Is this a toy too dangerous to be tucked under the Christmas tree?

from US News and World Report:
Is this a toy too dangerous to be tucked under the Christmas tree? In the still-popular 1983 movie A Christmas Story, based on the story by Jean Shepard, 10-year-old Ralphie longs for a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas, but the adults in his life tell him: "No, you'll shoot your eye out." I won't tell you what actually happens in the movie, but that fate would make Ralphie one of the approximately 21,000 people injured each year by nonpowder guns like BB, pellet, and paintball guns, and air rifles, with about 4 percent of those injuries resulting in hospitalization, according to a 2004 report from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says kids under 16 should not use BB guns or pellet guns, and it says about four people a year die from using the guns.


I'm skeptical by nature. I found it hard to believe that a BB gun could kill 4 people per year. A little googling and I found this:
""These are not the kinds of BB guns that I grew up with," Watts said. Today's BB guns "are extremely high-powered," and some can shoot with a velocity nearly matching a .22-caliber rifle, Watts said." So we aren't talking about what you and I consider BB guns.

When I was a youth, the more adventuresome boys would suit up in goggles and winter coats and run around the neighborhood shooting eachother with BB guns. I'm wondering what is more dangerous, cell phone use in a car or running around your neighborhood with googles and winter coats pelting eachother.