Will Rubber Tires Protect You From Lightning

Rubber is indeed an electrical insulator but your shoes or bike tires for instance are way too thin to protect you from a lightning strike.

Will rubber tires protect you from lightning.

Myth 6 if you re outside in a storm lie flat on the ground. Most people believe the rubber tires on a car prevent lightning strikes. If you check out the graphic below you will notice how the current exits to the ground through the tires. Myth 4 if you don t see rain or clouds you re safe.

So the rubber tires on your car do not protect you from lightning they simply ground your vehicle so that the electricity has a place to exit. Myth 7 if you touch a lightning victim you ll be electrocuted. Rubber does not protect you from lightning. Myth 5 a car s rubber tires will protect you from lightning.

Rubber tires on a car protect you from lightning by insulating you from the ground. Myth 8 wearing metal on your body attracts lightning. Rubber soled shoes and rubber tires provide no protection from lightning. The truth is rubber tires don t prevent lightning strikes in the least bit.

Ironically it s not the rubber tires insulating the car but rather the conductive metal framing which protects you by conducting the electricity around the vehicle and its occupants. Here s where your grandmother is right though your car is a fairly safe place to be in a thunderstorm but for a different reason entirely.