According to the National Lightning Safety Institutes (NLSI) 8316 people died as a result of lightning between the years 1940 and 1991. Lightning has caused more deaths than hurricanes, floods, or even tornadoes. The NLSI estimates that there may be between $ 4 to 5 billion in lightning costs and losses each year in the United States. The NLSI compiled statistics from 1959 to 1994. They discovered that forty percent of the accident locations were unreported. Twenty-seven were in open fields and recreation areas, fourteen percent were under trees, 8 percent were water-related such as boating, fishing, or swimming, 5 percent were golfers, three percent were operating heavy equipment or machinery, 2.4 percent were telephone related and point seven percent were radio, transmitter and antenna related. Ninety one percent of the time only one victim died by the lightning strike. Most incidents occurs between 2 PM to 6 PM in June, July, or August. The top five states to be struck by lightning were Florida, Michigan, Texas, New York, and Tennessee. Each year lightning causes about 10,000 United States forest fires. In 1988 fire burned a lot of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Could lightning safety education help prevent accidents? Follow the links below so you will be better prepared when faced with a lightning storm. Then take the quiz to determine how much you have learned. Online Quiz on Lightning Safety
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Lost in the Woods
