Thursday, August 20, 2009

What are your chances of being struck by lightning? Are you really safe inside a car? And can lightning strike the same place twice? Good question.

Lightning can provide us with some of nature’s most beautiful images, as seen during many of this week’s storms. But lightning during one storm nearly killed a Wichita teen.

Fourteen-year-old Brandon Blaylock was almost struck by lightning when he was outside his south Wichita home earlier this week.

According to the National Weather Service, your chances of being struck by lightning are one in 700,000. And according to sciencefacts.com, 80% of lightning-strike victims survive.

On average, 67 people die from lightning strikes each year in the United States, making lightning more deadly than tornadoes and hurricanes.

When lightning strikes a car, the outer surface of the car will carry the electricity. It often discharges through one of the tires, leaving the occupants unharmed.

And yes, lightning can strike the same place twice.

Send your good questions to news@kake.com