If the attacker is touching me when I shock them, will I get shocked as well?

The short answer is no. If the attacker is touching you, you will not be shocked. The shock provided by the stun gun will not conduct from one person to another. The effects of the shock are localized only to where the contact is made.

What happens if you touch someone being tasered or shocked with a stun gun

Have you ever wondered what happens if you touch someone while they're being shocked with a stunning device? It's a question that might cross your mind if you think about stun gun or taser usage.

One thing to know upfront: Stun guns or tasers, those handheld shock devices used by law enforcement, pack a punch meant to stop folks in their tracks without causing lasting harm.

This blog post will shed some light on the spooky outcome of coming into contact with someone getting shocked by one of these. You'll find out how these stun devices work and what makes them so effective at controlling situations without leading to permanent injuries or worse.

And yes, we'll answer the burning question—will you get zapped too? Keep reading, it gets interesting!

Key Takeaways

• TASERs work by shooting out wires with barbs that send electricity into someone's body to stop their muscle control. This can be very painful and cause muscles to contract quickly.
• If you touch someone being tasered, you might not get shocked because the electric current travels directly between two points on the person's body, following the path of least resistance back to the TASER device.
• Human bodies can conduct electricity due to water and salts in our cells. However, touching a person who is being tased doesn't necessarily mean you'll get shocked too.
• Many beliefs about Tasers an stun guns are false. For example, they don't cause long-term brain problems or memory loss, won't always make someone pass out, and aren't as dangerous as guns when used correctly.
• When using a stunning device properly, serious injuries are rare. The design ensures safety for both the user and person being tased by controlling where the electric current goes.

Understanding How Tasers and Stun Guns Work

TASERs shoot wires that send electricity into a person’s body. This stops them from moving for a bit. Stun guns also work in a similar fashion, sending an electric shock to the target’s body and stopping movement temporarily. Read their main differences here.

The mechanics of TASER technology

TASERs send out two barbed darts at a speed of 55 meters per second. These darts are tiny, each weighing 1.6 grams with tips that are 9 millimeters long. They hit the target and shoot electricity into the body to mess with muscle control.

This method directly hits motor nerves to make muscles work in ways they're not supposed to.

Taser shocks cause severe, uncontrollable muscle contractions and are very painful, says Dr. Jonathan J. Rasouli.

The TASER's average electric current is about 1.9 mA, which sounds small but is powerful enough to take over someone's muscle movements without causing deadly harm like a heart rhythm problem or shocking the heart into stopping (cardiac arrest).

The mechanics of Stun Gun technology

Stun guns work by touching someone with the end of the device to send a high voltage, low amperage electric shock into them. The shock messes up the way messages move between muscles and the brain.

Either way, think of it as using just enough power to stop someone but not enough to seriously hurt their heart.

Let's explore what happens if you touch someone who is being tased next.

Physical Effects of Touching Someone Being Tasered or Shocked with a Stun Gun

Check our high voltage stun gun here

Touching someone who gets tasered might shock you, but usually, it does not. The stun device sends electricity into the person's body between two points. So, if you're not in that path, you should be safe.

But every situation can be different—find out more to stay informed and safe!

Examining the conductivity of the human body

The human body can pass electricity through it because of water and salts in our cells. This makes us conductive. When touched, a stunning device's electronic control sends its shock through the attacker into you if your skin is in contact with them.

The path the current takes depends on where each person's hands or arms are placed, not just touching the one getting shocked.

Next comes understanding what this does to a person directly feeling those effects.

Safety Considerations and Misconceptions

Many people think touching someone who is being tased can hurt them too. This isn't true because of how electricity works and the design of tasers.

Addressing common myths about TASERs

TASERs and stun guns often get a bad rap in the media. People worry about their safety and effects on health, but many of these fears are based on myths. Here' are the myths addressed:

• Myth: TASERs and stun guns cause long-term brain problems: 

False. Study shows that Taser/stun gun exposure doesn't lead to issues like dementia or disrupt how your brain works over time.

• Myth: Getting hit with a TASER or stun gun will mess up your memory: 

Not true. Research finds no lasting impact on verbal learning or memory after being exposed to a TASER.

• Myth: If you're touching someone who gets tased, you'll get shocked too: 

This is a myth. The electricity does not pass from one person to another because the current follows the path of least resistance, which is directly back to the stunning device.

• Myth: You can have a heart attack if tased/shocked with a stun gun: 

Very unlikely for healthy individuals. While TASERs/stun guns can affect the heart, cases of healthy people getting heart attacks from them are extremely rare.

• Myth: TASER or stun gun use always leads to serious injuries:

No, that's not accurate. When used properly, most people don't get hurt badly by TASERs. Some might have marks where it hit them or feel sore, but serious injuries are rare.

• Myth: You will lose consciousness if tased: 

Not always true. Losing consciousness happens in some cases but isn't a guarantee every time someone gets hit by a TASER.

• Myth: Being exposed to a stun gun means you can’t understand your rights: 

Incorrect. Studies show that being hit by a TASER doesn't affect your ability to understand and act upon legal matters.

• Myth: Stun guns are just as dangerous as guns: 

False comparison. Stun guns are designed for non-lethal defense whereas guns are lethal weapons.

Understanding these points helps clear up some common misunderstandings about TASERs and stun guns and their effects on human health and behavior.

Conclusion

Tasers and stun guns send out a shock to stop people in their tracks. These tools don't pass the shock on if you touch the person getting zapped, thanks to safety designs. You can confidently use your stun gun in the face of a dangerous attack by an assailant or an aggressive dog.

Still, messing with stun guns is no small game. It's all about using them right and knowing what they do—to keep things safe for everyone involved.

FAQs

1. What happens if you touch someone getting shocked by a Taser or stun gun?

If you touch someone being zapped by a Taser, don't worry – you won't get shocked. Tasers send electricity into the person they hit, but it doesn't spread around to others touching them.

2. Can using a stun gun on someone touching you shock both of you?

Nope! If you use a stun gun on someone who's grabbing onto you, only they feel the zap. The way stun guns work keeps the shock between the device and the target.

3. Are there any risks when someone gets zapped with a Taser?

Yes, getting hit by a Taser can be risky. It might cause burns or even mess with heart rhythms in rare cases. Doctors say it’s important to check on people after they’ve been tased.

4. Do Tasers or stun guns affect your heart?

Tasers can sometimes disturb heart rhythms, leading to serious issues like ventricular fibrillation – that's when the heart quivers instead of pumping properly. But this is very rare.

5: Why don’t I get shocked if I’m touching someone who gets tased?

It all comes down to how Tasers and stun guns are designed; they send electric currents directly into muscles from the device itself, so unless you're part of that direct path, no shock for you!

6: What should I do if I see someone get tased?

First things first - call for help right away and stay calm! Check if they’re breathing okay and awake. If trained, provide first aid until professionals arrive.

References

1. https://spectrum.ieee.org/how-a-taser-works (2007-11-30)
2. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/struck-taser-affects-human-body/story?id=55503687 (2018-05-29)
3. https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/is-it-safe-to-be-tased-by-a-taser.858435/ (2016-02-20)
4. https://drexel.edu/news/archive/2016/february/taser-study
5. https://www.axon.com/resources/the-truth-about-taser (2021-11-16)