Prius gets ‘fried’ by lightning bolt during storm, Iowa video shows

A storm chaser captured the moment a bolt of lightning struck a car during a recent thunderstorm in Iowa, video shows.

“I just so happened to be recording in that direction when it happened,” Chris Riske wrote on YouTube, where he posted the video taken April 12.

The car belongs to a friend, who was inside of it when the lightning hit, Riske wrote.

At normal speed, the bolt is hard to see — little more than a flash of white that appears to zap the antenna of the Prius. Slowed down to 1/20th the speed, and it becomes much clearer, and sparks can be seen dancing beneath the car just after the lightning makes contact.

“It totally fried the Prius,” Riske said in a Twitter post. “[My friend] is still stuck in Iowa. The car might be totaled.”

That Prius wasn’t the only car unfortunate enough to get jolted during recent storms rolling through the central U.S.

In Brazoria County, Texas, the driver of a Lexus was “amazed” but unharmed after lightning hit the car, “travelled through the antenna, down through the rear driver rim and blew a hole in the roadway,” local fire officials said.

Most cars will protect drivers and passengers from lighting, according to the National Weather Service. It’s not the rubber tires that make cars safe, as many believe, but rather the metal frame, which the lightning travels through after impact.

“It is the metal roof and metal sides that protect you, NOT the rubber tires. Remember, convertibles, motorcycles, bicycles, open-shelled outdoor recreational vehicles and cars with fiberglass shells offer no protection from lightning,” according to the NWS. “Don’t lean on doors during a thunderstorm.”

This story was originally published April 14, 2022 at 11:05 AM with the headline "Prius gets ‘fried’ by lightning bolt during storm, Iowa video shows."