Fire safety is something many people are concerned about when it comes to their homes, but not so much when it comes to other areas of their lives. Fire hazards can occur almost anywhere, and it does become more unlikely if people are aware of it and actively work to avoid it. Your car is a place where a fire could occur quite easily, and it should be something that you are aware of. One dangerous place to be with your car in regards to fire hazards is the gas station. In order to keep the risk of a fire occurring when you're at the gas station with your car, there are a few things you should think about.

Hot metal

Gasoline is a substance that is very easy to ignite. That is why most gas stations forbid smoking on their premises. To help avoid this, you need to be careful when filling up your car. Make sure your car is turned off and that there are no pieces of hot metal nearby where you're injecting the fuel. Keep the hood of your car closed while doing it, just in case the gasoline comes in contact with the hot engine. If you have no other choice than to keep the hood open, you need to be extremely careful not to get any gasoline nearby.

Spillage

There are also a few things you can do to avoid spillage of gasoline after you've refuelled your car to make sure no spillage comes in contact with any hot surfaces. Leave the nozzle in the tank opening for a little while before you remove it so that it has a chance to drip all access gasoline off. You could also use a piece of paper, often provided by the gas station, to wipe the nozzle clean as you pull it out of the tank opening. If a fire starts while the nozzle is still in the car, don't attempt to remove it. Leave the premise and call for nearby fire services immediately.

Static electricity

Sparks is even more dangerous than hot object when you want to avoid fires. Therefore, you should avoid getting in and out of the vehicle while you're refuelling it. The friction between the eats in your vehicle and your clothes could create sparks of static electricity that could ignite the gasoline you're pumping into your car if you're unlucky. Stand by the nozzle while you're refuelling and wait for it to finish before you get into your car.

For more information, talk to a fire service.