Lightning and transportation.
It is a little-known fact that lightning casualties often involve travel or transportation. López and colleagues, in their studies on the epidemiology of lightning injuries, have reported that 10% of lightning injuries are categorized under transportation. In the majority of their cases, victims were struck while standing outside or near their vehicles during a thunderstorm. During my review of the neurologic complications of lightning injuries, I was impressed by the number of case reports in which the victim was struck while either in or near a vehicle, airplane or vessel. In this article, I shall put forth information on four aspects of lightning that relate to the danger to people traveling in vehicles, boats, and airplanes. First, I shall deal with lightning safety on ships and boats. People who enjoy recreational sailing, including the "weekend sailor" and those who enjoy fishing from a boat, should be fortified with knowledge about lightning protection. Second, I shall consider the matter of lightning strikes to aircraft. In the third section, I shall discuss the question of lightning safety in automobiles. Fourth, I shall review those cases found in my literature review in which the victim was struck while in or near a vehicle, boat, or airplane.
Cherington
M
M
Lightning Data Center, Provenant St. Anthony Hospital, Denver, Colorado 80204-1374.
D000328:Adult; D000401:Aircraft; D001336:Automobiles; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015168:Lightning Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012767:Ships; D014186:Transportation