DAYTON, Ohio -- As the Miami Valley heads into severe weather season thunder and lightning will become more prevalent. That means it becomes increasingly important to know how to stay safe when lightning illuminates the sky.

A thunderstorm doesn’t have to be severe to get lightning and thunder. However, whenever lightning is present it can become a dangerous situation.

That’s because, lightning is one of the top weather related killers: second only to flooding.

The National Weather Service says an average of 62 people die every year from lightning strikes.

The storm doesn’t have to be overhead for lightning to strike. It can strike 10 miles ahead of the storm.

To stay safe from this dangerous force anyone outside should get inside as soon as they hear thunder. Then, stay inside until 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder sounds.

Never take shelter under a tree.

Ron hall of Bellbrook was lucky he wasn’t under his tree during a storm in July 2007. Lightning struck and tore up the root system.

However, at the 2007 Troy Strawberry Festival, a father and his two children weren’t so lucky.

They took cover under a tree, and then the lightning struck.

Even when inside a home remember never to use electronics, unless they’re plugged into a surge protector. Also, stay away from water and stay off of corded phones.

Believe it or not, a car is a safe shelter during a storm, because of the rubber tires.

The chances of lightning striking a home are small, but it happened to a family in Centerville during a storm in 2007.

“In Centerville we’re up on the higher part of the valley; so we are prone to more lightning strikes than other communities,” said Rich Palmer of the Washington Township fire department on the day the lightning struck.

Lightning does tend to go for the highest point in an area.