Like many Americans, you probably plan to take a road trip this summer. It might be local, it might be across state lines, but wherever you will roam, odds are you will take your concealed carry with you. I want to share three key tips for making travel with a concealed carry firearm easier.
First and Foremost: The Law
Before you depart on a road trip, check out what the concealed carry reciprocity laws are and how they apply to your situation. This means no whether you can legally take your gun across state lines—and use it.
This is also probably a good time to consider whether you have any type of legal protection in place while you carry concealed.
I was at a woman’s event in April where one of the speakers, a young woman who just started carrying concealed, declared how she was now safe because she had her gun, as if that was all that it took to be safe. To merely have this magical Talisman with her. I found this concerning because there is much more that comes into play when carrying a firearm than simply having it with you. Sure, having it is better than not. But having a firearm illegally and doing something that means you could be charged with a felony is really something that should make people stop and figure out what they need to discern about not just carrying the firearm, but the repercussions, if they have to use it.
Second: Make it Easy
Number two, make sure that the firearm goes with you easily. This can mean different things for different people. Perhaps you plan to drive to visit family, and your real concern is just having the firearm along for the ride in the console of your car, if that is what your state laws allow. (Make sure your insurance info is not right under it in case you are pulled over. And know whether your state requires you to inform the police about carrying concealed.)
The next thing to consider is what do you do when you get out of your car, like for the gas station. What do you do when you have to go to the bathroom?
One simple tool that I take on any road trip is a fanny pack that is low-profile and inconspicuous. The beauty is that I can fit whatever I need inside of it and take it into the gas station with me. It’s easy to keep it on my body while I’m pumping gas. It’s easy to store my concealed carry there when I transfer from my car to a hotel for the night. And if I use the restroom someplace, it’s a little easier to wear my fanny pack, like a Crossbody bag or hang it on a hook, as opposed to having a belt with an inside the waistband holster on it. I might still carry my firearm inside my waistband, but having the fanny pack gives me a secure place to set it while I use the restroom. It gives me a place for keys, concealed carry, or anything else that I want and have with me at all times.
Third: Be Fully Aware
The third tip that I would share is that you can enjoy a road trip and the spontaneity of being in your vehicle and able to decide to stop and see whatever you want, yet do it safely by making awareness your number one tool.
This means that you don’t blindly drive off into the summer sun; have a general plan.
If you must travel through any questionable areas, plan your stops before or after that. If you decide at the last minute to go on a hike, make sure that you have the necessities: water and your concealed carry, if legal (always check national and state park and public land rules). Additionally, even if you divert from your route to explore a local trail, always let someone know exactly where you’ll be going.
Last-minute decisions are fine, but still use prudence in making them. Don’t be afraid to change your mind. If you get off at an exit because you really wanted coffee, but it’s late at night and the gas station looks sketchy, consider driving to the next one.
Traveling with a companion also bolsters your level of awareness because you have more eyes on your surroundings. We make it a general rule when we stop, especially in the dark, that whoever is in the vehicle does not just sit on their phone while someone else pumps gas; they are the ones looking around and exercising awareness of what’s happening.
The ability to see questionable circumstances and make decisions sooner puts you at an advantage. So don’t give away your advantage by being distracted and unaware.
Enjoy your road trip. Make sure you head out fully informed, aware, and packing and take home all the great memories you can.
