Book 7, Question 33
Why Is a Car Usually Safer in a Storm (But Not Always)?
A hard-topped car with its windows up can protect you from lightning, but only sometimes. If lightning strikes it, the metal shell helps carry the electricity around the outside. That keeps most of the current away from the people inside.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 7
More fun facts
- If no building is nearby, an enclosed metal vehicle like a car, van, or school bus is a decent safe place.
- Keep the windows rolled up and don't touch metal parts that lead to the outside of the car.
- Rubber tires are not what protects you. Rubber does not stop lightning.
- Convertibles offer no safety from lightning, even with the top up.
- Vehicles with open cabs, like golf carts and tractors, are not safe in a lightning storm.
- A big building with plumbing and electrical wiring is the safest place to be.
Sources: NOAA, National Weather Service
Questions kids ask
Do rubber tires keep you safe from lightning?
No. It is the hard metal top and sides of a car that help, not the tires.
Is a convertible safe in a thunderstorm?
No. Convertibles offer no safety from lightning, even with the top up.