Lightning struck a car
As seen in the images, the Ford only suffered damage to its windshield on the outside. The interior is a different story – here, essentially, no place was left untouched. Once inside the car, the lightning melted the dashboard and part of the upholstery. The dashboard got the worst of it – between the relay and the glove box, the electric charge left behind literally "scorched earth".
The incident occurred not last week, but on July 20. Fortunately, no one was injured – at the moment of the strike, the pickup was parked in the lot at the Ford dealership.
Autoportal comment
Can lightning strike a car
This case is indeed egregious, although no car is immune to receiving a dose of spark electric charge. But there is one "but". Often lightning strikes either the vehicle's antenna or along the roofline. Then the electric charge spreads along the outer side (body) of the car, transfers to the tires, and then goes into the ground. Thus, the car remains intact, although some cases show that sometimes lightning can damage electronics and cause damage to the paintwork (cracking of paint). However, in the case of the Ford Super Duty, things turned out somewhat differently – apparently, something at the front attracted lightning, since it struck the windshield and pierced the interior. But what exactly remains a mystery.
What to do during lightning
It is worth mentioning the actions of the driver and passenger(s) of the vehicle during lightning. First – park the car at the roadside, turn off the engine. Second – if the windows are open, they should be closed. Finally, third, and most importantly – for some time, do not touch the metal parts of the car (inner parts of the body). Also, refrain from using the multimedia/audio system. After the bad weather subsides, you can continue driving.
