Why Are There Warning Signs About Using Your Cellphone While Pumping Gas?

It's common knowledge that using your phone while driving is not a smart idea, but it may not be the only car-related activity where your phone may prove to be dangerous. You may have noticed signs at your local gas station warning against the use of cell phones while refueling your vehicle, often labeling these devices a fire hazard on par with smoking cigarettes or unauthorized containers.

The general thought behind these warnings is that the electric discharge held by cell phones and similar devices will create sparks that can result in a fire or explosion while at the pump. Seems believable enough, right? Well, in the eyes of experts, these warnings are a bit far-fetched. Numerous tests conducted by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Petroleum Equipment Institute, and the Federal Trade Commission aimed to simulate a range of scenarios where a mobile phone could cause a fire while pumping gas all resulted in nothing happening. 

In a 2022 interview with USA Today, Michael Marando of the National Fire Protection Association stated that the chance of a phone sparking such an accident is practically non-existent. "For me to say there's no risk, I can't really do that, because there could be some really, really one-in-a-several billion chance that it could possibly happen," Marando shared. "There's just there's too many factors that have to line up that it's extraordinarily rare."

Using your phone while getting gas is not as hazardous as you might think. In fact, many experts have noted that far more gas station fires are started by the static discharge from individuals who re-entered their cars during fueling and touched the nozzle when coming back out. However, while it's highly unlikely that using your phone at the pump will cause an explosion, it still isn't the best idea to have your eyes glued to your screen while filling up.

Similarly to when you drive, engaging in talking, texting, or surfing apps while pumping gas can distract from potential hazards around you such as spilled gasoline, leaving your engine on, or forgetting to remove the nozzle. "All of us become a little complacent as to hazards that might be there because we're so used to going to the gas station," Marando tells USA Today about the likely reasoning behind cell phone warning signs at gas stations. "It's really to make sure that the people at the gas station are paying attention to refueling, instead of talking on the cell phone." As a result, staying off your screen is still an important step to take when pumping your gas.