The Power Of Nature: Dashcam Captures Wild Footage Of Lightning Striking Just Feet Away From Car

People drive during thunderstorms all the time. And while there’s always a risk of getting struck by lightning, overall, the chances appear to be pretty low. But that is exactly what makes the below footage so mind-blowing. Recently, a Georgia driver found themselves traveling down Interstate 20 in Atlanta. Sure, it was stormy. But they never would have guessed that their dashcam would capture a lightning strike mere feet away.

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And yet that is exactly what happened. If you think that a lightning strike looks bright from far away, wait until you see the video below. The bolt of lightning hits the asphalt just off the shoulder in the right lane. The aftermath of the strike is still happening when the driver approaches. Luckily, they’re able to veer away just in time. Witness this harrowing moment for yourself:

“That’s got to be one of the clearest, up close lightning strike videos I’ve seen,” someone writes in reply to that breathtaking video, with another adding, “The silence… that driver has nerves of steel. The way I would have screamed like I was personally struck by lightning.”

“Wow I’ve never seen that and it cracked five times,” a third person points out. “If you pause the video at different times when the lightning strikes, the energy of the lightning bolt is insane.”

Feeling a bit nervous about driving during a thunderstorm now? Thankfully, the National Weather Service says that vehicles do provide some level of protection from lightning. But it’s not the tires that protect us, as is the common belief. Instead, it’s the metal shell of hard-topped metal vehicles that helps. That said, a direct lightning strike can damage the vehicle itself.

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!