Q&A for How to Avoid Getting Hit by Lightning

Yes. Fourwheelers are metal objects and do not have the same protection benefits as a car.

No, tornadoes are formed when hot air and cold air mix. Lightning and tornadoes often occur simultaneously, but lightning doesn't cause a tornado.

Do not go outside. If caught outside, do not stand under a tree or go into open fields. Seek safe shelter.

If the metal pipes for plumbing are there, the electricity will go into the water. That is why you avoid showering, using the sink or taking a bath during a storm with lightning. You will see a bright, white light come out of the drain if electricity hit one of the pipes. If it hits anything else that is metal in the ground, it will travel on the ground, so avoid garage floors and other flooring that could be wet or have water on the surface.

Yes. Thunderstorms can be dangerous, so this is a rational fear.

It is generally recommended to avoid using any plugged-in electronics, but most people use them anyway. The only electronics that are 100% safe to use during a storm are wireless ones, such as a cell phone, tablet, or laptop that's not plugged in.

Most toilets are porcelain, so you should be safe there, but depending on your plumbing, there is a small chance of lightning traveling through it if it's metal. You should avoid things like taking a shower or using the sink; the possibility is there no matter how minimal.

Despite the popular myth saying it doesn't, lightning can strike the same place or object twice. Once it has struck a place, all it has to do is recharge. The previously hit spot has the same chance of being hit as any other location.

Yes. No place is safe outdoors during a lightning storm, thus making running outdoors a dangerous choice. Note, however, that if you are on a run and you see lightning or hear thunder, your goal should be to get to shelter (i.e. your home or car, or possibly a friend's house, if closer) as quickly as possible, which would generally result in continuing to run, although possibly on a modified, more direct route.

Stay away from the bicycle. While it's not a tall object, it's still made of metal and can conduct electricity. Even if lightning strikes a few feet away, the bicycle will still attract a lightning channel which will hurt you if you're nearby. Move away from it to a safe spot, then return only after the lightning has passed by.

No, because in addition to not being tall, you also want to minimize your contact with the ground. An electric current zapping through the ground nearby could pass straight through your vital organs if you are lying down. The best compromise is to crouch down with your feet together to minimize the chance of damage to your heart and other critical organs.

In general, if you can hear thunder, you are within 10 miles of the lightning and within range of the next strike. Seek shelter. If the time between a flash of lightning and the following thunder is less than 30 seconds, this means that the strike was within 6 miles and you are at HIGH RISK. Seek shelter immediately. Stay in shelter for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder as departing storms also carry a significant risk of getting struck.

A lightning rod is a tall, metal rod that is placed on a building's roof. It has a copper wire running through it that connects to a conductive grid buried underground. When lightning strikes it, it causes the electricity to run through the rod and into the grid. This system helps to carry the electricity away from the building and into the ground, rendering it harmless.

While metal does conduct electricity, unless you're using it outside, there is very little chance of being struck.

Yes. Keep windows closed during a storm and stay away from them. Try to stay within inner rooms of the structure because glass windows provide a direct path for the lightning to travel.

No, lightning is not color specific. The only factors that matter are height and conductivity.

They are safer, but not 100 percent safe. Lightning can still strike a shorter object, although it is more likely to hit the taller object.

If you can locate a nearby building, use it as shelter. Some roofs hang over the building. Sit up against the building in a crouched position with your heels touching. If you can't find a building, stay away from anything tall or anything that can conduct electricity, such as a lamppost.

If possible, seek nearby shelter. If no shelter is nearby, remain on the bus until the storm passes.

Of course. There are many recorded instances of this happening, but you should be just fine. Commercial airplanes are engineered with robust lightning protection, precisely because they are known to be struck by lightning fairly often.

In some cases, yes. If you are using an electronic device that's plugged in, or if you are bathing, showering, washing your hands, washing dishes, or doing anything else that involves water, then you could theoretically get struck. However, a house is considered the safest place to be during a thunderstorm.

You can die if you get hit by lightning anywhere. However, a car is generally a safe place to be during a storm and you should not get hit by lightning. Just make sure your windows are closed.

The energy dissipates very quickly. While details vary, you may assume that one second after the lighting strike, there's no longer any risk.

No. The risk of getting struck is not increased by wireless objects.

Wait until the storm passes, or take them to a safer place and start CPR. Don't worry, it's perfectly safe to touch someone who has been struck by lightning. As soon as possible, call 911.

As a completely open vehicle, a golf cart is unsafe for a number of reasons during a storm, including lightning. You really ought to seek sturdy shelter, get inside, and wait it out.

No. "Bolts from the blue" can strike up to 10 miles away from any rainfall, which is about the distance that you can hear thunder. This is why the NOAA follows the slogan, "When thunder roars, go indoors!" In extreme cases, lightning has been detected almost 50 miles away from the parent thunderstorm. The 30-30 rule is a good guideline to determine when to seek shelter. If the time between lightning and the following thunder is 30 seconds or less, the lightning is within 6 miles and you are at high risk and should seek shelter immediately. Stay in shelter for 30 minutes after the last thunder.

No. Lightning usually strikes based on height and/or conductivity.

Yes, but it is unlikely if the windows are closed and you aren't touching any metal.

More likely, yes, as lightning strikes the tallest things.