If you touch the positive battery terminal, you will not get shocked. The voltage in a car battery is not high enough to cause electrocution. However, if you touch the negative terminal and then touch something metal that is grounded, like a water pipe, you could get a shock. If you touch the positive battery terminal, you may get a shock.
Even though you won’t get a shock from touching both terminals of a car battery because of its low voltage, other components of a car’s electrical system can surely give you a severe shock. An example would be the ignition system with a rotor and cap.
You can touch the positive and negative of a car battery in any way you want no problems. Once you get above 50V, the resistance of your body will not be high enough to guarantee your safety; this is how 120VAC house voltage can kill. The higher the voltage, the greater the likelihood of a lethal amount of current passing through you.
If you accidentally touch the positive and negative terminals of a battery, you could get a shock. The electric current from the battery can cause your muscles to contract, and you may feel a tingling sensation. If you are touching the terminals with your bare skin, the current can also damage your tissue.
A 12-Volt Battery Can’t Shock You But A 12-Volt Electrical System Can. Even though you won’t get a shock from touching both terminals of a car battery because of its low voltage, other components of a car’s electrical system can surely give you a severe shock.
Making an electric shock from a battery is a pretty simple process. All you need is a battery, some wire, and a metal object to complete the circuit. Simply touch the metal object to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, and you’ll create an electric shock. Of course, there’s a little more to it than that.