How to handle a traffic stop when carrying concealed – Part 1

There are a lot of varying opinions on how to handle a traffic stop when carrying concealed (we are assuming you are carrying legally). All opinions aside, first and foremost you need to know what the actual law is, not just someone’s opinion about what they think the law should be. As with most other handgun laws, there are definitely some myths about how the law applies when you are interacting with a police officer in a traffic stop.

Do you have to tell the officer you are carrying a gun?

Probably the main myth about how to handle a traffic stop when carrying concealed is that you are always required to tell the officer you are carrying a weapon. The truth is, whether or not you must inform the officer depends entirely on which state you are in. Each state has it’s own gun laws, and some require you to inform the officer and some don’t.

The easiest way to find out whether or not your state requires you to inform the police officer is to go to www.Handgunlaw.us. On the home page you will see a color coded map of the USA. Clicking on your state will bring up a PDF document that contains all the specifics about handgun laws in that state. Right at the top of the PDF file, it will say “Must Inform Officer By Law”, and then yes or no depending on your state law. Here is a snapshot of what the page looks like for Georgia.

So, now that you’ve determined whether or not you are required to inform the police officer about your concealed weapon, you are left with some choices to make on exactly how you want to handle that. Since there are so many factors involved, this can develop into a very lengthy discussion, which is why I’ve decided to split this issue into segments.

In part 2, we will examine the reasons why or why not to inform the officer about your weapon, and the best way to communicate to an officer that you are carrying a loaded weapon. If you want to be notified when a new post is added, you can enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box in the right column.

Have a good one,

T

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