Sports-related activities contributed to about 8% of the total lightning deaths, with soccer contributing
most to the death toll. For most incidents, safety was nearby in the form of a building or vehicle. Many
victims failed to react quickly to the imminent danger. A few of the running victims were some distance
from safety and could have reached a safe place sooner had they listened to the forecast and chosen a
safer route.
For most farming or ranching victims, there was typically a vehicle or building nearby. In these cases, the
victims either didn't recognize the warning signs soon enough or didn't act promptly to get to a safe place.
There also were a number of people killed while riding in open vehicles including bicycles, motorcycles,
and all-terrain vehicles. As with many other activities, situational awareness, and not venturing too far
from a safe shelter are key to staying safe. Some victims may have been a long distance from safety
when the storm approached. Although most people are aware that the rubberized tires on these vehicles
do not protect a person from lightning, there are likely some people that continue to believe this myth.
Finally, there were quite a few people killed around their home, business, or neighborhood. Most of these
victims were only steps from safety. In fact, some even walked outside just before being struck. Others
were doing outdoor chores or relaxing outside the home. In these cases, the key to safety is just to go
inside and not take chances. It’s important for people to remember that they should go inside
immediately if they hear thunder or the sky looks threatening, and then wait at least 30 minutes after the
last lightning or thunder before returning back outside.
6.0 CONCLUSIONS
This paper examined and analyzed lightning fatalities in the U.S. from 2006 through 2019. The common
belief that golfers are responsible for the greatest number of lightning deaths was shown to be a myth.
During this 14-year period, fishermen accounted for four times as many fatalities as golfers, while
camping, boating, and beach activities each accounted for about twice as many deaths as golf did. The
key to being safe in a thunderstorm is to get to a safe place before the lightning threat becomes
significant. Activities such as fishing, boating, and camping may require that those involved in these
activities be particularly wary of developing and approaching storms so that they can get to a safe place
quickly. When planning an activity, if a safe shelter is not readily available and thunderstorms are
forecast, the only safe alternative is to cancel or postpone the activity.
For many of the lightning victims, safe shelters were available; however, the victims simply did not act
soon enough to get to safety before they were struck. In order to reduce the number of lightning deaths, it
is important to continue to remind the public of the dangers of lightning, and also why it is so important to
act quickly to avoid the lightning threat. To protect the public, the National Lightning Safety Council and
the National Weather Service have an ongoing effort to reduce lightning deaths, highlighted by their
respective lightning safety web sites and national and local Lightning Safety Awareness Weeks. The
broadcast and print media continue to play an important role in getting information out to the public. The
results of this study will hopefully provide updated material that will help reduce lightning casualties.