Downed Power Lines Can Kill

If you hit a power pole, do not get out of your car.

If you are in a car accident or equipment snarl with a power line, do not get out. Your vehicle and the ground could be energized. Stay in your vehicle or cab and call 9-1-1 and wait for the local electric utility or electric cooperative to de-energize the area.

The dangers of downed power lines became all too real when an Illinois man was apparently electrocuted and died June 29, 2020. He struck a utility pole with his car, got out, and was exposed to live, stray voltage. And this accident is not an isolated case; unfortunately, they happen across the nation and world.

“Although your first instinct might be to get out and run when you see a downed power line, doing so could cost you your life,” says Erin Hollinshead, executive director of Safe Electricity. Incidents with power lines or other electrical sources can break the electrical current’s usual path, making the ground, vehicles and anything else in its trajectory electrified.

“The only reason you should get out of a car, truck, tractor or other equipment is if it is on fire or you see or smell smoke. Otherwise stay put and call 9-1-1,” Hollinshead advises. “Knowing what to do in a situation like this can save your life.”

After telling the dispatcher where you are, be sure to report that there is a downed power line near or on your vehicle. The same safety know-how applies to other sources of electricity, including a pad-mounted transformer (“green box”), substation, or other type of electrical equipment or cabinet.

Envision the downed line or other electrical source sending electrical current across the ground in a ripple-like effect. Each ring of the ripple represents a different voltage. If you step from one ring to another, this is called step potential, and it can electrocute you.