What You Need to Know About Gas Station Safety

Gas Station Safety

Have you ever taken a road trip and needed gas at night in the middle of nowhere? It can be pretty scary. Likewise, it can be equally scary (if not, more) for a gas station clerk who is the only one on duty, day or night. They have a dangerous job. A lot of times, you can find a sketchy person lurking near gas station convenience stores. You might have even experienced someone coming up to you at the pump asking you for money. These are things that you want to avoid but sometimes can’t. Or can you? Read below to find out about gas station safety and what you can do to keep yourself safe.

How to Stay Safe at the Pump

If possible, get gas during the day. If you can’t, try finding a well-lit gas station. In general, a lot of convenience store incidents are more likely to occur at night because there aren’t as many people out and about.
Lock your car doors. As soon as you get out to pump gas, you should close all doors and lock your car. If you don’t lock your car and keep a purse or backpack in the backseat or passenger seat, someone can easily grab it and run away quickly. The safest thing to do would be putting your valuables in your trunk. Holding them by your side could result in robbery.
Park at the front of the convenience store. Most gas stations have front row parking. If you’re going inside to pay or to grab something really quick, you should still try to park in those front spaces instead of leaving your car at the pump. Doing so can eliminate anyone from trying to break into your car.
Carry water-based pepper spray. You can buy water-based pepper spray to attach to your key chain. Make sure that it’s water-based and doesn’t have alcohol in it. If you’re at the pump and you need to use it, pepper spray with alcohol in it can cause a fire or explosion because of the gasoline vapors.
Ask the store clerk for help. There’s no shame in asking the store clerk to keep an eye on you while you pump gas into your car. They can see who’s around you and can help by calling 911 quickly if an incident occurs.

How to Stay Safe As a Clerk

Make sure all areas inside are well-lit. You don’t want any dark corners, especially where the cameras are. If you see that there’s any light bulbs that need to be fixed, fix them immediately.
Keep your windows free from clutter. Don’t display so many signs in your windows. You can’t see outside and people can’t see inside well enough to know if there’s malicious activity going on. Therefore, you or others won’t be able to call for help.
Make sure the panic button is within reach. There should be a panic button installed at the clerk counter in case of an emergency, such as theft or gunfire. Make sure that you know exactly where it is and that you can access it easily.
Take a self-defense class. If you’re up for it, you should take a self-defense class. Even asking your local police station for a training session can make a big difference. They can teach you how to prevent robbery or what the best course of action is if one takes place. They might even do it for free.