NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Summertime is when tourists from all over the world flock to Florida's beaches, but what they may not know is the state is known as the lightning capital in the U.S.

But Floridians like Adrian Spivey know not to be outside when lightning strikes. 

“I've been taught pretty well, playing football and everything, they will cut a game if there is lightning. Better safe than sorry," said Spivey, who was visiting New Smyrna Beach on Sunday.

Just hours earlier, on the other side of Interstate 4, a man was struck by lightning on Clearwater Beach. Seven other people who were near the man were hurt, and several of those were taken to hospitals.

Volusia County Beach Safety Deputy Chief Aaron Jenkins said that in his 17 years working in Volusia, about six beachgoers have been struck by lightning, and a couple of those were fatal. 

"At our beaches, you can see if there are a lot of people close together, and you're huddled up underneath an umbrella, if a strike hits, I can see that lightning is going to hit something, and it's going to travel," Jenkins said.

So what should you do when you hear thunder?

Use the "30-30" rule. If you can count the seconds between seeing lightning and hearing thunder, and if this time is less than 30 seconds, lightning is a threat. Then, after hearing the last rumble of thunder, wait at least 30 minutes before going back outside.

"If people are touching or holding something or in the water, all that electricity has to go somewhere, so it could in theory hit many people," Jenkins said.

"I've heard it can pass through a tree, and if you're leaning on it, it can pass the lightning to you, but I didn't know it can pass through other people," Spivey said.

Last month, a motorcyclist was killed after being struck by lightning while riding his bike on Interstate 95 in Volusia County.

Nationwide, lightning has killed eight people from May until July.