a. The word vehicle may include boats, cars, recreational vehicles, snowmobiles, sleds, private aircraft, and/or all-terrain vehicles, depending on your particular jurisdiction.
b. When handling firearms around any type of vehicle, follow the steps below:
- Never have a loaded firearm in or on any vehicle unless you are allowed to shoot from that vehicle. Unload before entry. Load only after leaving.
- It is especially difficult to control muzzle direction when entering or leaving vehicles. Take extra care to point the muzzle in the safest available direction at such times.
- When a firearm is in a vehicle, it must be placed in a secure position where it will not be dislodged or stepped upon.
Check with provincial or territorial authorities in your area. They can inform you of how the transportation of firearms is regulated locally.
Example of an Incident
A duck hunter placed his loaded shotgun into his boat and climbed in. His dog then jumped into the boat, landing on the shotgun. The firearm fired, fatally shooting the hunter in the stomach.
Contributing factors:
- Unsafe muzzle direction
- Loaded firearm in a vehicle
- Firearm in an unsecured position