When should you never travel with a crossbow?

Traveling with a crossbow that is cocked and loaded poses a significant safety risk and is highly discouraged. A cocked and loaded crossbow is ready to fire, meaning that any accidental discharge could result in serious injury or damage. Proper safety protocols emphasize that bows should always be transported in a safe condition, which typically means they should be unloaded. This precaution helps ensure the safety of the individual transporting the crossbow, as well as others around them. Handling a cocked and loaded weapon increases the chances of an accident during transport, whether due to an unexpected bump, a drop, or a failure to maintain secure control of the weapon. Thus, the safest practice is to ensure that the crossbow is fully unloaded before any travel. A crossbow should also be properly secured in a case to further protect against accidents, though the crucial factor here is ensuring it is not in a state ready to fire. Other options, such as traveling with an unloaded crossbow or ensuring it is under warranty, do not imply any safety risks and are more about legality and condition than the immediate safety associated with the weapon.