Are You Safe If Your Car Gets Struck By Lightning?

There's an urban legend that says a car's rubber tires will protect it from getting struck by lightning. Unfortunately, that nugget simply isn't true. Rubber is a good insulator at lower voltages, but stopping the energy from a lightning bolt is too much to ask. So what does happen if a vehicle gets struck by lightning? The outcome can vary widely based on not just the type of car, but also the type of lightning.

Normally, air insulates the electrical charges in clouds from those on the ground. But according to the National Weather Service, "when the differences in charges becomes too great, this insulating capacity of the air breaks down and there is a rapid discharge of electricity that we know as lightning."

Even though most cars are made primarily from metal, they're actually a very safe space during lightning storms. That's because, like when airplanes get struck by lightning, the electrical current takes the path of least resistance around the exterior shell of the vehicle on its way to the ground, leaving the occupants untouched. In essence, the vehicle acts as a giant Faraday cage.

Just because the driver and passengers are unlikely to be harmed by a stray lightning bolt, the vehicle itself might not be so lucky. In a best-case scenario, you might simply need to reset all of your vehicle's electronics, such as the infotainment system and digital gauge cluster. If your car still has an external radio antenna — a common divining rod for lightning strikes — you can probably kiss that aerial goodbye. Ditto for rear windows that have defroster wires embedded, which are prone to shatter. Tires are also a common casualty of lightning strikes because the extreme heat can lead to bursting.

If your vehicle leaks oil or gasoline, it's more likely to become damaged by lightning because of fire hazard. For that reason, newer vehicles are sometimes considered safer from lightning strikes than shabby jalopies, which may have numerous mechanical maladies causing leaks or flammable fumes. Except for newer convertibles, that is. Convertibles and other vehicles with non-metallic roofs do indeed offer less protection, although not alarmingly so — assuming the top is up. Furthermore, and interestingly enough, electric vehicles don't handle a lightning strike any differently than their fossil fuel counterparts.

So how should you handle a lightning strike? If moving, pull over to the side of the road as quickly as safely possible. Once the vehicle is stopped, sit still and don't touch anything inside the car for at least 30 minutes. Hopefully this goes without saying, but if a fire does break out, you'll need to risk exiting the vehicle. 

According to the National Weather Service, more than 25 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the United States annually. Depending on what source you trust, anywhere from about 20 to 50 people die from said lightning strikes in the U.S. each year. However, in the course of research for this article, not a single recent lightning death could be identified as happening inside a vehicle. In fact, experts recommend seeking shelter in vehicles during a thunderstorm if there's no building nearby.

The fact is, most cars will drive away from a lightning strike unscathed. A certain unlucky percentage will have damage like burn marks, broken glass, blown tires, or fried electronics. However, the strength of lightning bolts varies greatly and some particularly robust strikes can damage a car to the point where it's considered beyond repair, or a total loss. For instance, a Florida news outlet reports that in 2023, a lightning bolt punched through the window of a fourth-generation Ram pickup, igniting the upholstery on fire. Fortunately, the Ram was parked and empty when the fireworks happened.