DON’T Do These Things While Getting Gas

You've filled your car with gas hundreds of times which means you couldn't possibly be doing anything wrong... could you?

Well according to the experts at Readers Digest, here are four risky things you shouldn't do while filling your tank

1. Pumping gas without touching your car first. Sliding across your seat to get out can cause static electricity to build up. If it sparks while enough fumes are in the air, it can start a fire. It's rare to say the least, but it happens a handful of times a year. So before you start pumping, touch the metal part of your car with your bare hand, not just the gas cap.

2. Using your phone at the pump. The idea that your phone could spark a fire is probably just a myth. But here's why you shouldn't use it.  There's a group that tracks how often people drive away with the gas nozzle still in their car. Also, they say it's almost ALWAYS because they got distracted by their phone.

3. Topping off your tank just to make the price a round number. If you overdo it, you'll spray gas everywhere. But there's also another reason you shouldn't overfill.  Gas tends to expand once it's in your car. If your tank is too full, it can create a build-up in pressure that can cause dangerous leaks.

4. Not locking your doors while you're pumping gas. There's something called 'sliding,' where criminals pull up next to you at a pump, wait until you're not looking, then open your passenger's side door and rob you. They're usually going for purses, so it's more likely to happen if you're a woman. While this is one that is less likely to happen in the Cedar Valley then say, Des Moines or a major city, it can still happen.