It’s not wise to get back in your car while pumping gas, no matter how cold, wet or windy it is outside. As innocent as such a move may seem, the act is responsible for igniting flash or small sustained fires that caused more than 150 people around the country to suffer from injuries and/or damage to their cars.

The fact is, static electricity and gas pumps are a bad mix. According to a study conducted by the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI), most victims of flash gas pump fires are women wearing rubber-soled shoes. “Men are seldom involved in these types of fires because most men don’t get back in their vehicles until they are completely finished pumping gas,” explains Bob Renkes of PEI.

Cool, dry air produces the highest build up of static electricity, which means that the majority of gas pump fires should occur in the fall. However, the highest number of flash fires at the pumps occurred during the winter months of January, February and March. The safest month to date has been July with only one reported incident.

Only 37 U.S. states have reported static-caused fires, with Nebraska in first place reporting 13 incidents and Texas taking second with 10. Out of the 150 fires PEI studies, one person and one dog died, 25 vehicles were totaled and two gas stations sustained major damage, including the destruction of garages and nearby building.

While Renkes and other at PEI acknowledge that gas pump fires are rare, they do warn that they can happen anywhere at any time of year. Therefore, the best prevention is for people to stay outside of cars until their tanks are filled. If it is necessary to get in the car while gas is pumping, make sure to touch the metal of the car when leaving the vehicle and well before touching the nozzle of the pump.