What Would Happen if Lightning Struck Your Car?

If lightning were to strike your car, it would likely cause a lot of damage.

The light flash, heat, and electromagnetic waves released by the bolt are so strong that they can cause electronic devices to malfunction or even explode.

The most dangerous part is not the initial strike—it’s what happens after.

A thunderstorm produces more than 10 million volts of electricity and up to 100 billion amps of current.

If your car were struck by lightning, it would absorb this much energy and begin acting like an electrical conductor.

The current would flow through your car and into the ground as fast as it can travel.

The entire system could short out, making it impossible for you to start your car or use any electrical components.

Lightning can cause engine fires

This is due to the fact that lightning creates a spark that travels through the wiring and ignites fuel or oil in the engine, causing a fire.

Lightning can also cause airbags to deploy, which can injure or even kill drivers and passengers.

Drivers should be prepared for this possibility by keeping their seatbelts fastened and by knowing how to escape a vehicle quickly if they see smoke or fire.

what does the fire the lightning struck?

Lightning is a huge burst of electricity that travels through the air.

It happens when there are powerful storms in the sky. The storm clouds contain lots of water droplets, ice crystals, and even dust particles.

When these particles rub against each other, they create friction that heats up the air around them. This makes it easier for the air to carry electricity.

The best thing you can do if lightning hits your car is to get out as soon as possible

The reason for this is that there is a very real risk of being electrocuted if you stay in your vehicle and the lightning strikes it.

It’s estimated that about eight people are killed each year by lightning strikes in the United States alone.

If you’re not sure whether your vehicle has been hit by lightning, look for signs of damage, including melted metal or plastic on the exterior and interior parts of the vehicle.

Lightning can cause a car to explode

When lightning strikes, the electrical current flows through the air, causing ionization and creating a great deal of heat.

If this heat is focused on a particular point, it can cause that point to explode.

The most likely place for this explosion to occur is in an exhaust system of a car, which contains many points at which gas can be ignited.

Because of this, cars that have their exhaust systems exposed are at much greater risk of being damaged by lightning than those with covered exhaust systems.

What to Do If You Get Hit by Lightning?

If you’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you get hit by lightning, don’t panic.

The first thing you should do is stay calm and make sure that nobody else is around who could be hurt.

Check yourself for injuries if there are any, go to the hospital or call 911 immediately.

You may also experience short-term memory loss, so if there are other people around, ask them to stay with you until help arrives.

If it’s safe, move away from trees or other tall objects that can conduct electricity and contact your local fire department or EMT service if necessary.

Conclusion

If lightning were to strike your car, it would be important to act quickly and calmly.

Move away from the car as quickly as possible, because it could be damaged or even destroyed by the lightning.

Once you are safely away from the car, stay there until the storm has passed.

Steven Hatman
Steven Hatman

We break down every information into easy-to-understand articles that cover all the categories anyone who owns a car needs to know about, such as oil , brakes , tires and etc. Our car guide is free and updated regularly for you to use as a resource, not only when you have an issue with your car but even before buying a new or used car! We also give tips on what to look for in each category or part of your vehicle.