When the rainy season arrives, how to stay safe while driving in the rain?

Should you continue driving when caught in a storm with thunder and lightning? Is the risk of being struck by lightning while driving high?

To analyze the risk of being struck by lightning while on the road, we can temporarily categorize vehicles into two types: cars and motorcycles.

A lightning strike hitting a moving vehicle in the United States – (Photo: LSM).

For cars, experts from the National Weather Service (USA) suggest that sitting inside hard-top cars is quite safe even when driving in rain with lightning, even in the event of a direct strike.

This is because the metal frame of the car acts as a Faraday cage. This refers to a type of enclosure made from conductive material designed to block electromagnetic fields.

Thus, in the unfortunate event of a lightning strike, the current will travel along the metal surface of hard-top vehicles and discharge into the ground without affecting the occupants inside. Note that this principle does not apply to convertibles.

However, according to Dr. Anne Helmenstine from the University of Tennessee (USA), although drivers are safe, lightning can cause damage to the exterior and electrical systems of the car. In fact, there have been cases where cars were severely damaged by lightning and were beyond repair.

Justin Pritchard, a technical expert from Auto Trader (Canada), advises that if lightning strikes your car, you should remain inside because most hard-top vehicles will adhere to the Faraday cage principle, protecting those inside.

After the last thunderclap has passed, wait about 30 minutes before contacting your insurance company for inspection and repairs.

A lightning strike on the road in Massachusetts (USA) – Photo: FOX NEWS

For motorcycles, experts indicate that lightning-related accidents are quite common, with many incidents reported worldwide. Recently, in March 2024, a motorcycle racer was seriously injured after being struck by lightning while competing in Wise County, Texas (USA).

In Vietnam, on May 19, a man was killed by lightning while riding his motorcycle in a storm in Giao Hai commune, Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province.

The National Weather Service (USA) analyzes that motorcycles in urban areas have a significantly lower probability of being directly struck by lightning compared to those on suburban roads. This is because lightning typically follows the shortest path to the ground and often strikes the tallest objects in the area.

In urban settings, lightning is more likely to “target” tall buildings, trees, and telephone poles rather than pedestrians. Most lightning accidents involving motorcycle riders tend to occur in open areas with fewer buildings and trees.

However, in urban areas, the risks during a storm also include other accidents such as falling trees or electric poles. As such, according to motorcycle blogger Jon Vinnzi, when encountering a storm with thunder and lightning, it is best to stop and find a safe shelter.

If you are outdoors and have no nearby shelter, seek a lower area and avoid solitary tall objects such as “lonely” trees or telephone poles. Do not stop in high places such as the top of a bridge or hill, as these locations increase the risk of being struck by lightning.

Additionally, stay away from metal fences, power lines, and other outdoor electrical equipment as they can conduct electricity from a lightning strike.

After hearing the last thunder, wait at least 30 minutes before leaving your shelter to ensure safety.

Readers share ways to avoid lightning strikes while on the road

Regarding the story of avoiding being struck by lightning while on the road, reader Phong Vu shares some tips:

First, the tires must be made of black rubber as it contains a lot of carbon dust that conducts electricity, not high-temperature black types with a lot of silica used in racing tires. Especially for bicycles, one should never ride with pink or white tires during rain while hearing thunder.
Second, raincoats should be of the anti-static type, meaning they have conductive fibers woven into the fabric.
Third, helmets worn should also be made of anti-static materials.
Fourth, you must touch the body or raincoat against the metal frame of the vehicle. Many motorcycles from certain sources do not fully understand safety techniques, leading to designs where the seat, handlebar grips, and body contact with the raincoat are all made of insulating plastic without conductive materials to prevent static electricity, making the entire body and raincoat completely insulated from the metal frame of the vehicle that conducts electricity through the carbon dust in the tires down to the ground to discharge static electricity.

When insulated in this way, if a person wearing a helmet and a raincoat that is not anti-static moves quickly through the rain, the friction with water droplets can easily build up static electricity.

The potential on the helmet and raincoat can reach hundreds of thousands of volts in difference with the ground, making the body a potential target for lightning strikes.