Lightning

Interesting Friday last week. I had lightning strike about 3ft in front of my hood at about eye level Friday morning. My codriver about crapped his pants.

I've been wondering about lightning.

What would happen if lightning were to strike a truck? Especially if it's going down the highway...

We've gotten hit by some pretty nasty storms lately and lightning is always a concern for me.

I've been wondering about lightning.

What would happen if lightning were to strike a truck? Especially if it's going down the highway...

We've gotten hit by some pretty nasty storms lately and lightning is always a concern for me.

Here's a video:

Caught on camera: Truck struck by lightning driving down highway

The electricity from lightning strikes flows through the path of least resistance and tends to move along the outside of a vehicle. In a vehicle that has a considerable amount of metal, the electricity will move along the body/frame, and sometimes moving through internal electronics like a radio.

The electricity itself is not a danger to you as a driver/passenger. It is mostly the risk of a fire starting from the extreme temperatures the electricity can generate as it runs through your vehicle that you should be aware of. If your vehicle is struck by lightning, make sure you check for signs of fire starting.

If lightning is getting a bit crazy around you, just pull over and sit tight. Pulling over is important because of the risk of fire, the chance you get caught off guard and jerk the wheel, and because lightning can kill your engine and cause damage to other parts. As long as you are pulled over, have a fire extinguisher ready, and are staying inside a closed truck, you should be fine sitting through a lightning storm.

The electricity from lightning strikes flows through the path of least resistance and tends to move along the outside of a vehicle. In a vehicle that has a considerable amount of metal, the electricity will move along the body/frame, and sometimes moving through internal electronics like a radio.

The electricity itself is not a danger to you as a driver/passenger. It is mostly the risk of a fire starting from the extreme temperatures the electricity can generate as it runs through your vehicle that you should be aware of. If your vehicle is struck by lightning, make sure you check for signs of fire starting.

If lightning is getting a bit crazy around you, just pull over and sit tight. Pulling over is important because of the risk of fire, the chance you get caught off guard and jerk the wheel, and because lightning can kill your engine and cause damage to other parts. As long as you are pulled over, have a fire extinguisher ready, and are staying inside a closed truck, you should be fine sitting through a lightning storm.

As long as your in your truck you should be safe unless your truck is directly grounded, your tuck is insulated from the ground thru your tires otherwise. Be sure to not get out of your truck if there are downed powerlines near or around your truck, call 911 if there are and ask for assistance.

We didn't actually get hit. We just got an upclose and personal front row seat. I worked with electricity for years on ships and this looked close to what happens when someone in a power panel messes up. I didn't smell any burnt electronics but for some reason it smelt like sh!$ in the truck afterwards.

As long as your in your truck you should be safe unless your truck is directly grounded, your tuck is insulated from the ground thru your tires otherwise. Be sure to not get out of your truck if there are downed powerlines near or around your truck, call 911 if there are and ask for assistance.

100% agree on power lines. Tires keeping you safe somehow is a myth though. It is your vehicle acting like a Faraday cage that keeps you safe inside. And as for being directly grounded, that again has no effect on your safety from electricity while inside your vehicle. Being grounded would probably increase your chance of being struck by lightning, while tires would help decrease it, but either way your vehicle acting like a Faraday cage is what keeps you safe when lighting does strike.

http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_pls/vehicle_strike.html

First, Cwc says:

My codriver about crapped his pants.

Later Cwc says:

for some reason it smelt like sh!$ in the truck afterwards.

Doesn't take Sherlock Holmes for this!

I think if you can get through a lightning strike and not lose your nerve, you could pull rocky Mountain doubles to NYC.

First, Cwc says:

My codriver about crapped his pants.

Later Cwc says:

for some reason it smelt like sh!$ in the truck afterwards.

Doesn't take Sherlock Holmes for this!

I was just checking to see if anyone with a since of humor was reading this thread.

Now how to get the bite marks out of the seat .