Experts clarify common misconceptions about lightning safety, emphasizing that car tires do not protect against lightning strikes. Instead, they advise seeking shelter indoors and avoiding open spaces and water during thunderstorms.
Experts Debunk Myth: Car Tires Don't Protect Against Lightning
Experts Debunk Myth: Car Tires Don't Protect Against Lightning
Lightning and thunder – when a storm hits, there are a few crucial things to keep in mind. The old advice that car tires protect against lightning is completely dismissed. It's a myth, says an expert.
Lightning and thunder – when a storm hits, there are a few crucial things to keep in mind.
The old advice that car tires protect against lightning is completely dismissed.
It's a myth, says an expert.
Lightning always seeks the highest point, explains Joakim Jonsson, an electrical expert at the Swedish Fire Protection Association. Therefore, you should avoid places where you become the nearest point for lightning to strike.
You shouldn't be out on a football field, nor should you seek shelter under a tree, he says.
The best option is to go inside a house, he explains. There, you are not the highest point, and there is a roof above.
Avoid Water
Swimming is not a good activity during a thunderstorm, whether in a lake or indoors.
Water conducts electricity. Therefore, you should also wait to shower until the storm has passed, says Martin Gustafsson, an inspector at the Swedish Electrical Safety Agency.
The old advice that car tires protect against lightning is not given much credence.
It's a myth. But the protection in a car is similar to being indoors; you are no longer the highest point, says Joakim Jonsson, and Martin Gustafsson agrees.
Electric Car Charging
If your car is electric, it's smart to unplug it, as electric cars don't have significantly better lightning protection than other electrical devices, explains Martin Gustafsson.
Unplug everything you care about. Also, unplug anything that is charging, and don't forget to check that children aren't charging phones or tablets, he says.
It has also been said for a long time that you shouldn't talk on the phone during a thunderstorm. However, this only applies to landlines; mobile phones are okay, they explain.
There are no requirements for lightning protection in either single-family homes or apartment buildings, but homeowners would be wise to ensure there is lightning protection and surge protection, as well as circuit breakers, they believe.
Lightning protection for the electrical panel doesn't cost much, maybe five to ten thousand. The most vulnerable are houses in isolated locations that are exposed, says Joakim Jonsson.
Martin Gustafsson also advises cleaning around the electrical panel to ensure there is no flammable debris that could easily catch fire.
If lightning has struck, be sure to check – look, smell, and listen. A fire can smolder for several days. If fuses have blown, check why they have blown, he says.
Correction: An earlier version of the text contained an incorrect description of an old piece of advice against lightning.