Below, we will look at each of these forces a little more in depth and the distinct side effects each has on the human body during a lightning strike. There are three main factors of lightning that cause injury: Electrical energy, heat, and mechanical energy from the other forces interacting. Those are the four routes of being struck, but now let's look at what actually causes the injuries, as well as the side effects of being struck by lightning. This occurs when a strike hits an object or the ground near a person and the lightning travels through the ground to the victim. The most common route for lightning striking someone is through ground current, accounting for about half of all strikes. Contact injuries occur when the victim touches an object that was struck recently and retains an electrical charge that then travels through the victim. Side splash strikes are strikes that hit an object near a person, with the lightning arcing, or splashing, from the original strike point to the victim. Direct strikes are the least common, accounting for around 5% of strikes, and are a result of the electrical current from the lightning making direct contact with the victim. Next, lightning strikes on humans do not all occur in the same manner and can be categorized under four routes of being struck: a direct strike, side splash, contact injury, or ground current. Males are also much more likely to be struck than females, at about 80% of strikes. Fishermen account for about three times the number of strikes as golfers do. Fisherman account for the majority of strikes, followed by beach goers, then campers, then boaters. Most people think that golfers suffer the highest occurrence of strikes, but that is far from the truth. First, let's take a very brief look at the circumstances when strikes occur and who the strikes affect.

Person struck by lightning