What happens if lightning strikes a roller coaster?

All amusement parks have lightening detectors that scan 15 to 30 miles away. As soon as there is a strike within in that range all tall rides are shut down. Most are shut down until there are no strikes within that range for 30 to 45 minutes. These rides are grounded to diffuse a strike.



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A lightning strike was caught on video striking one of the roller coasters in the Park while Guests were fleeing for safety.

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It suggests that the chances of being killed on a rollercoaster are just one in 170 million, while the injury odds are approximately one in 15.5 million. For perspective, 658 people died in the US in boating-related accidents in 2021, USA Today noted, while 42,915 people were killed across the country in car accidents.

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Yes, birds do get struck by lightning, although it's not very common. When birds are flying during a storm, they are exposed to lightning strikes and thus can get hit directly. Birds will typically avoid flying in a thunderstorm. They prefer to find hiding spots, such as in bushes, trees and tall grasses.

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What does IATA say about airport lightning rules? The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says to issue lightning alerts at 5 miles (8 km) and stop operations at 3 miles (5 km). They suggest using a 3-mile critical radius and resuming operations once the lightning activity has moved beyond this radius.

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Contrary to popular belief, metal does not inherently attract lightning. Instead, height, shape, and isolation are the dominant factors in determining where a lightning bolt strikes. The taller, more pointed, and isolated a structure, the more lightning will be attracted to it.

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Park ranger Roy Sullivan was struck by lightning seven times throughout his life and survived each time. Sullivan is recognized by Guinness world records as the person struck by lightning more recorded times than anybody else. Roy Sullivan was born in Greene County, Virginia on February 7, 1912.

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