It has always been said that a vehicle is one of the safest places to take shelter from a thunderstorm. In the case of a dry storm, where lightning occurs without rain, a car with a metal body is undoubtedly one of the safest places. On the other hand, during a storm with rain, seeking shelter inside the vehicle may not be advisable. If you decide to do so, make sure to position yourself on a higher ground and avoid places where water can accumulate and create torrents capable of sweeping away the car.
In this article we are going to tell you if Lightning could strike your car and that you should take into account.
What makes a car safe during a thunderstorm?
Electricity is inherently ambiguous and always follows the path of least resistance. You might wonder why lightning appears jagged and branching when the simplest route would be a straight line. The explanation lies in the incredible speed of electricity, which prioritizes convenience over the time it takes to travel a greater distance. Like the course of a river, the current will invariably flow where it encounters the least difficulty.
The human body acts as a fairly efficient conductor of electricity, mainly due to our composition of approximately 70% water together with mineral salts that improve conductivityHowever, metals such as steel, aluminum, and copper are better electrical conductors than our bodies, causing electricity to flow through these materials instead of through us.
To illustrate this theory, 19th-century physicist Michael Faraday performed an experiment known as the “Faraday cage.” It involved surrounding an individual with a metal cage while allowing current to flow through it. The individual could touch the cage with his or her hands without danger of electrocution.
Vehicles such as cars, trains and airplanes are metal structures that allow electric current to pass through them more easily. In essence, They work in a similar way to a Faraday cage, making the chance of electrocution almost non-existent. (although nothing is completely impossible and coincidences can occur).
However, the absence of incidents affecting us does not mean that the vehicle is not affected. For example, trains frequently break down due to lightning striking power lines, causing blackouts, and some aircraft have had to make emergency landings due to faults in their electronic systems, among other problems.
What happens if lightning strikes your car?
It is important to understand that if the vehicle is made of metal, it will safeguard your well-being during a thunderstorm. You will not be electrocuted, Nor will the gasoline inside the car ignite if lightning strikes.However, you are likely to experience some ear pain for a short period, as the sound of the lightning will be quite intense.
When it comes to cars that are not made of metal, the situation changes. Fiber bodies are non-conductive, meaning they do not transmit electricity. However, metal components such as the engine and suspension are present. Therefore, when looking for the simplest route, Lightning may or may not strike us, although it usually does not.
Is it possible for a car to malfunction if it is struck by lightning?
Just a few years ago, The answer would have been a resounding NO, but the situation has changed due to the increasing number of electronic components inside vehicles. Processors, motherboards and printed circuit boards face two formidable adversaries: static electricity and power surges. Lightning can be considered a massive electrostatic discharge, so it is, in essence, pure kryptonite.
Don't worry, the chances of the engine failing or the power seat failing and pinning you against the steering wheel like in the movie Christine are extremely low. However, even though the car's electronic systems have some protection, it is possible that the instrument panel or the sound system could be damaged, since the antenna tends to attract lightning.
If lightning strikes your vehicle, chances are nothing will happen, There may even be no visible damage to the paint. However, the risk of breakdown increases with the number of electronic components present in the car.
What steps can I take to prevent breakdowns during a storm?
I think that during a thunderstorm at home you are likely to unplug your computer and television, and perhaps even turn off your cell phone. Similarly, to avoid electronic breakdowns in your vehicle during a thunderstorm, it is advisable to turn off as many appliances as possible (by disconnecting them from the car's electrical system). Make sure your cell phone is off, the radio is off, and only leave essentials running, such as the engine, lights, and windshield wipers. This approach significantly reduces the likelihood of a breakdown caused by lightning.
What happens when lightning strikes an electric vehicle?
There's no need to worry. You won't be launched into hyperspace or experience time travel like the DeLorean. In fact, electric vehicles They are the safest during a lightning strike, as they are designed to handle high voltage electricity.
The primary systems (batteries, motors, high voltage network and inverter) are fully equipped to withstand the test without problems, although it is necessary to emphasize that coincidences can occur, so possible failures due to a lightning strike would be similar to those of any other vehicle, especially affecting the instrument panel and the multimedia system.
The battery charging phase is the phase in which a lightning strike is most likely to occur, and this is even more so if the lightning strikes the electrical grid rather than the vehicle itself. If the lightning strikes the car, the Faraday effect ensures that no damage is done. In theory, if it were to strike the electrical grid, nothing should happen either, as this system is equipped with various protection measures. All of them would have to fail simultaneously for the surge to strike the vehicle. The vehicle, The charging point, cable and mains all have protective devices installed which are unlikely to fail at the same time, although not entirely impossible.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about whether lightning could strike your car.