Why is it forbidden to use mobile phones at gas stations?

If you pay attention to the warning signs at gas stations, you may have seen a sign on or near the pump telling you to turn off your cell phone or not to use it. This warning may seem strange to many and may raise questions about why such a warning exists. The answer is that in the 1990s and 2000s, there were unsubstantiated reports of gas station fires due to people’s use of cell phones. A typical chain email circulated at the time told drivers that a driver “suffered burns and severely damaged his car when the gasoline vapor exploded after being ignited by static electricity from the cell phone he was using.” Of course, this email was never verified.In fact, there are no reports other than these emails that the fires were caused by phones. It is possible to start a fire due to static electricity at gas stations. But there is no evidence to say that this is due to cell phones. According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, “unclassified static discharge” caused 3 percent …

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