What drivers should do - and should not do - if lightning strikes or a live electrical wire falls onto their car. Watch video
The thunderstorm season is upon us, and with it comes dangers for people on the road.
During the past five days, a driver in Point Pleasant Beach was struck by lightning while sitting inside her car during a thunderstorm, and a driver in Fanwood was electrocuted after strong winds caused a live wire to fall onto her car and she stepped out to escape, police said.
Although the driver in the first incident suffered only minor injuries, both cases highlight the peril that thunderstorms pose to anyone who is inside a car when stormy weather hits.
We reached out to utility companies, electrical experts and local emergency responders to get answers to common safety questions and to advise about what precautions motorists should take to protect themselves.
Q - Am I safe from lightning if I'm in a car?
A - Contrary to popular belief, rubber tires on a car will NOT protect you from lightning by insulating you from the ground. Experts say most cars are safe from lightning, but it is the metal roof and metal sides -- not the rubber tires -- that protect you. When lightning strikes a vehicle, it goes through the metal frame and into the ground. If you are in a car during a thunderstorm, don't lean on doors and don't touch any metal objects, such as the ignition, radio dials, door handles, gear shifts or the steering wheel.
Q - What should I do if I am driving during a thunderstorm?
A - The best place to be during a thunderstorm is inside a building. But if you are stuck in a car, the National Lightning Safety Institute says drivers should safely pull off to the side of the road (away from large trees), turn on the emergency flashers, turn off the engine, put their hands in their lap and wait out the storm. The institute says drivers should be careful not to touch any metallic objects. (see items above)
Q - What should I do if I'm in a car and an electrical wire falls on top of my vehicle?
A - Stay where you are, stay calm, call 911 on your cell phone, and remain inside your vehicle until help arrives. It will not be safe to leave your car until the electricity feeding the wire is cut off by utility crews.
Q - Can I just drive away to a safe location?
A - No. If your car is electrified by a live wire, the electrical current will likely run through the frame of your car, into your tires and into the ground. Any metal parts of your car, including the ignition, can conduct electricity, so you could get electrocuted by turning on the ignition, according to utility officials. That's why they recommend staying in your car and not touching anything that's metal.
Q - Is it safe to use my cell phone to call for help?
A - Yes.
Q - What if my cell phone is plugged into a charger in the car?
A - Experts say your phone should still be safe to handle.
Q - If my car is electrified, why is it safe for me to remain inside?
A: PSE&G says if you stay in your vehicle, "the path of the electricity will be on the outside of the vehicle, through the tires, and into the ground. As long as we do not provide a path to the ground through our body, the electricity will not enter it. So when an electrical wire falls on your vehicle, stay in your vehicle until help arrives and the power is shut off."
Driving during a thunderstorm can be dangerous, and even deadly, as was the case in New Jersey on Monday, July 18. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Q - What should I do if a bystander wants to help me?
A - Experts say you should yell out or motion to the bystander to stay away from your vehicle. Otherwise, that person can get electrocuted if he or she approaches your car or touches it.
Q - Is it safe to touch your steering wheel if your car is electrified?
A - Some older cars, particularly vintage cars, have metal steering wheels, so those could become electrified, said Scott Surgeoner, a spokesman for First Energy Corp., the parent company of JCP&L. "The best advice is do not touch anything in the vehicle. Sit in your seat. Remain calm. And call for help."
Q - What should I do if a wire falls on my car and my car is on fire?
A - Utility companies say if your life is in immediate danger and emergency workers have not yet arrived, you can try to open your door and jump out -- but only as a last resort and only if you follow these instructions. The idea is to exit the car without touching the car frame. "Jump out with both feet together, making sure that you are not touching any part of the vehicle when your feet hit the ground," says PSE&G.
Q - Can I walk away after that?
A - No. After you land on the ground, keep both feet together and slowly shuffle to a safe area, at least 30 feet away from the vehicle. As you shuffle, make sure you keep both feet firmly planted on the ground, as closely together as possible. Some utility companies say you can slowly hop away, keeping both feet together at all times, but the Electrical Safety Foundation International believes shuffling is a safer option than hopping.
Q - Why can't I just take regular steps to escape from my car?
A - If you step outside your car one step at a time, you could get electrocuted, because the current will run from the live wire to the frame of your car, then travel through your body and down to the ground. Experts say the same thing will happen if you jump out, then try to walk away, because pockets of electricity may exist around your car.
Q - Can I climb onto the roof of my car and jump down from there?
A - You should NOT do that, because you will likely come into contact with metal parts of your vehicle, so you would run the risk of getting electrocuted, Surgeoner said.
Q - If my inside door handle is made of metal, will it be safe for me to open it if I have to escape?
A - PSE&G says it should be safe to open the door -- but only as a last resort.
Q - How far around the car will the ground be electrified?
A - Usually the danger zone is up to 30 feet, but it could be even further, depending on the voltage of the wire that's on the car. Wires feeding residential houses carry much lower voltage than wires on transmission lines.
Q - Where can I find more information about this topic?
A - PSE&G offers safety tips about electrical wires on this web page. Additional safety tips can be found in this publication by the Electrical Safety Foundation International, based in Rosslyn, Virginia: Electrical Safety Precautions. For lightning safety tips, check this information from the National Lightning Safety Institute and these tips from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.