While a family in Illinois was driving their car on April 5 along Route 13, they suddenly heard what sounded like a gunshot. After checking the damage to their Ford SUV, they realized it wasn't from a gun. Lightning struck their vehicle, and they quickly reported it to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office.
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Officers arrived at the scene to find three family members standing outside their lightning-struck car. The sheriff's office announced this on
Facebook, showing photos of the destruction caused by the lightning bolt.Family's Car Struck By Lightning While Driving
The lightning harshly damaged the back of the vehicle and blew a hole through the roof. "The three family members were uninjured and reported hearing a loud gunshot type noise while traveling," said the post. "The vehicle immediately filled with smoke after being struck."
The bolt managed to strike the vehicle's electrical system, which disabled it entirely. It also "exploded the rear bumper and exhaust system, which was scattered in the roadway." This is on top of the visible hole in the car's roof.
It's a miracle that no one in the back seat was harmed, as anyone back there would've been right near the strike. After the terrifying incident, they arranged for the car to be towed away. Luckily, no one had to visit a hospital as they had no obvious injuries.
According to the Daily Mail, this occurred after many road closures in the area due to flooding. With warnings of flash floods, roads closed, and some stormy weather brewed.
Although this may seem like a rare occurrence, vehicles are the perfect target for lightning. According to MotorTrend, lightning strikes vehicles millions of times a year worldwide. It's a lot less likely to happen while you're driving, but there's still a chance for it to occur.
The closer you are to lightning, the louder it is, and it can certainly sound like a gunshot. Take this video of a tennis player just feet away from a lightning blast. The video shows the lightning hit the trees behind her, but the sound it intense when you're that close.
This should be a warning to not drive during a thunderstorm unless you have to. You don't want to be in the middle of the road when lightning strikes and your vehicle becomes inoperable.
