Vehicle fueling safety system and method

An improvement in a vehicle fueling system having a fueling station at which a vehicle fueled, the improvement promoting safety by precluding inadvertent premature departure of the vehicle from the fueling station as a result of an action by an inattentive or distracted driver of the vehicle during an ongoing fueling operation in which fuel is dispensed to the vehicle improvement including:

• a fuel dispenser at the fueling station for dispensing fuel to the vehicle;
• a visual warning indicator for being viewed by the driver as a reminder of the ongoing fueling operation;
• a placement device for selectively placing the visual warning indicator in a line-of-sight of the driver when the driver is in a driving position in the vehicle during the ongoing fueling operation, and for selectively removing the visual indicator from the line-of-sight upon completion of the ongoing fueling operation;
• a further placement device for placing the visual warning indicator at an inactive location outside the line-of-sight;
• and
• a disabling arrangement responsive to placement of the visual warning indicator at the inactive location for disabling the fuel dispenser to preclude the dispensing of fuel while the visual warning indicator is placed at the inactive location.

A vehicle fueling safety method for precluding inadvertent premature departure of a vehicle from a fueling station as a result of an action by an inattentive or distracted driver of the vehicle during an ongoing fueling operation at the fueling station, the vehicle fueling safety method comprising the steps of:

• providing a visual warning indicator for being viewed by the driver as a reminder of the ongoing fueling operation;
• selectively placing the visual warning indicator in a line-of-sight of the driver when the driver is in a driving position in the vehicle during the ongoing fueling operation;
• and
• selectively removing the visual indicator from the line-of-sight upon completion of the ongoing fueling operation.