Is lightning strikes the car? Is it safe to be in the car when lightning warning issued when in the road?

Answer 1

You are probably safer in the car than you would be standing on the road. If lightning strikes the car, it will follow the metal body of the car and jump to ground from bumpers, axles, or other low parts. The car comprisesl a partial Faraday shield, which will tend to keep electricity out.

Answer 2

it will be safe as the car has a "cage effect" which also explains why lightning damages aircraft but do not electrocute the people inside. Inside a vehicle, when lightning strikes, the car receives electrons and becomes negatively charged. However inside the entire car the potential difference is the same. hence even if u r on the electrocuted car no current will pass through u as the potential difference at all your point of contact is the same.. this is known as the cage effect. Some concept mentioned above which says u r insulated are not true. try wearing a rubber sole shoe and touching the live wire, u ll still be electrocuted.

Answer 3

Contrary to common belief, rubber insulation of tires does not help in lightning protection. The shell of the car protects you during a lightning strike to spread the current around you, eventually reaching ground (via the connection your tires make with the pavement). So yes, it's one of the best places to be during a thunderstorm.

On a related note, if you are outside, unable to get into a car, and feel your hair spreading (like putting your hand on a vandagraf generator), GET DOWN. You're in a very ionized area and the probability of a lightning strike near you is high. So if you see the strands of hair on your body perking up and spreading out unnaturally, git down.

Answer 4

In most cases it is safe. The metal frame of the car forms a Gauss box. The electric field inside the Gauss box is zero, but can be rather high on the outer surface. (If the car frame is made of fiberglass or plastic you could be reduced to a smoking ruin.) The same Gauss box principle applies to aircraft, which are hit more often than cars. Although rubber tires are an insulator, the rainwater often associated with lightning is not. Water can form a path from the metal frame of a car to ground.

Answer 5

It is safer to sit inside a car during a thunder storm than in open grounds because the metal body of the car provides electrostatic shielding that the deadly charges of the lightning is passed to the ground without affecting the person sitting inside the car.

Answer 6

Your safe, providing your not touching anything in the car when the lightning strikes it. The tires do act as a ground, but if your touching something metal inside the car, you can be "struck".

Answer 7

This actually happened in Toronto a year or two ago and, amazingly, some tourists caught it on camera. It's perfectly safe because the electrical charge from the bolt goes straight to the rubber tires. Everything else in the car (van in this case) goes off and it stops running. Everyone inside didn't even feel a thing. Hell, they didn't even know why until someone showed them the tape.

Answer 8

Inside of a car is the safest place during lightening storm since the tires isolate the inside completely and the metallic body takes the charge fast to earth. The car is indeed a moving lightening rod. The inside is safe if the doors and windows are closed of course.

Answer 9

It is safe as the tires are insulators. Hopefully you don't have one of those ribbon things that drag on the road from the back of your car to eliminate static when exiting the vehicle. Even so, the inner cabin is probably insulated pretty well unless you're in a utility van with exposed sheet metal everywhere, lol.

Answer 10

It's safer to be in the car than in the road.
The tires provide insulation from electrocution.
Just keep the windows up & hands & arms inside the vehicle.
THen, drive to a protected area.