7 Safety Tips That You Need to Consider While Refueling a Vehicle
Every vehicle needs to be refueled from time to time. Therefore, all car owners must know how to get their vehicle safely refueled whenever needed. Usually, refueling is carried out at service stations and hence car owners must follow some safety tips and take the necessary precautions to avoid accidents.
Some common precautions that most people know about is that they should not strike a match or light a cigarette while refueling a vehicle. This is because the fuel is highly combustible and inflammable and the slightest contact with fire is extremely dangerous and life threating. However, these common precautions are just the tip of the iceberg as many more safety measures are required if you want to ensure your own safety and that of everyone around you while getting your car refueled at the service station.
Seven Safety Tips to Take into Account When Refueling a Vehicle
1.Turn Off the Engine
You must at all costs remember that before you start refueling the car, the engine must be turned off. Not only is it unsafe to refuel a car without turning off the engine first, but it is in fact illegal. You must also ensure that the keys of your vehicle are out of the ignition when you’re refueling your tank. This is important as it ensures that someone sitting in the car doesn’t accidentally turn the key and cause the engine to come to life when you’re filling your tank.
2. Avoid Anything that Involves Lighting a Fire
Activities such as smoking, striking a match, or using a lighter when you’re refueling a vehicle can be very dangerous. This is because petrol is highly combustible and a fire could start at any moment if the fuel comes into contact with even the smallest spark. Therefore, any activity that involves the lighting of a fire should be avoided when you are in at the refueling station. You must put out any cigarettes you’d been smoking before entering the service station.
3. Don’t Use a Cell Phone
Mobile phones and other types of electronic gadgets should also be avoided when you are inside the service station refueling your car. This is because cell phones have been known to cause sudden sparks. These sparks might cause a fire if they happen to ignite the petrol vapors. Moreover, using a cell phone when filling a tank could also cause a distraction, which might lead to over-filling and other problems due to neglect.
4. Be Mindful of Static Electricity
Static electricity is very dangerous as it can ignite the petrol vapor if it comes in contact at the service station. Static electricity can be generated due to the friction created when you slide across the seat to get down from the car for vehicle refueling. Therefore, it is essential that you should discharge any static electricity to the best of your ability before you start refueling your car. Static electricity is usually created or produced by friction and can be discharged by touching metal.
5. Be Careful With Petrol
If you plan to store some of the fuel in a container for future use then you should ensure that the container is kept in a ventilated area out of the reach of children. You must also not dispose of extra or unwanted petrol in a park or drain or any type of water body. You can consult the staff of the local service station about safe disposal methods for petrol if you are unsure. You must also use an approved and labeled container made of metal or plastic to store petrol so as to prevent leakage.
6. Keep Children Away
No matter what circumstances you are in, children must not be allowed to refuel the car or touch the pump nozzle while vehicle refueling. Not only would that be hazardous but it would also be illegal, as only people aged sixteen or older are allowed by law to refuel a car. Younger children can often be unpredictable and may distract you when you are filling up the tank with petrol if they are allowed to venture near the vehicle at this time.
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When you park your car in a service station and go inside the store to pay for the fuel or purchase any items, you should ensure that you have locked the car and that no valuables are lying about on the seats. If the car is left unlocked and unattended after refueling, it becomes an easy target for thieves and other miscreants to steal items left on the seats, such as purses and smartphones. You must also lock the car while filling the tank, particularly when traveling alone.
In Conclusion
You must always be wary of situations that may prove dangerous when refueling a car, such as spills and leaks. The staff at the service-station is usually trained to perform emergency evacuations and maintain the strictest safety standards at all times, however, you must also stay vigilant and not rely entirely on the staff members. By following the above-mentioned tips, you can keep yourself and your co-passengers safe when refueling a vehicle in a service station.