MORE: Did you know Florida is considered the lightning capital of the world? It has accounted for nearly 2,000 injuries and 50 deaths over the past 50 years, according to Farmers Almanac.

Other states with a large number of strikes include: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

The danger is most severe in the summer months during outdoor activity.

Typically, most lightning-related injuries and deaths are reported in July, followed by June and August. People often think of golfers being struck while holding their clubs on the fairway.

However, the most dangerous sporting activity is actually soccer, which accounted for almost twice as many fatalities over a 15-year period, according to a 2020 study by the Lightning Safety Council. And with regards to lightning-prone leisure activities in general, fishing, boating, camping, and playing on the beach also topped the list.

Much of the practical advice to avoid lightning strikes remains the same as what your parents and grandparents taught you:

• You are safe from a lightning storm in the car as long as you are not in contact with the metal frame (don’t touch the doors) that surrounds you and deflects the electrical current. (It’s actually the metal roof and sides that protect you, not the tires, as was once suggested.)

• Go inside and stay off the wired phone. Avoid using any electronic devices or appliances that are plugged into an outlet.

• Avoid taking a bath or shower, or washing dishes, as lightning easily travels through a building’s plumbing and can transfer through water.

• Don’t stand under a tree. Lightning is attracted to high spots and targets in open areas, so if you are caught outside, avoid tall trees, hills, and ridges. And don’t lie or crouch down. Run to a substantial building or hard-topped vehicle.