red flag law

English

Noun

red flag law (plural red flag laws)

1. (US) A gun control law permitting police or family members to petition a state court to order the temporary removal of firearms from a person who may present a danger to others or themselves.
   • 2023, Laura W. Perna, Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, volume 38, page 577:

     However, as with most federal legislation as it relates to guns, it will be left up to individual states to determine if they want to adopt “red flag laws.”

2. (UK, US, historical) A law enacted in the late 19th century, requiring drivers of early automobiles to take certain safety precautions, including waving a red flag in front of the vehicle as a warning.