The suggestion that mobile phone radiation can ignite vapours produced during vehicle refuelling has prompted considerable research by mobile phone manufacturers, the oil industry and academics.
Investigations into refuelling fires in the USA conducted by the Petroleum Equipment Institute concluded that, rather than mobile phone radiation, 90 percent of them involved static electricity discharges of some type. In the remaining 10 percent the cause was inconclusive.
The research concluded that while there is theoretically a very slight possibility of a spark being produced by the battery in a mobile phone, the likelihood of a phone-induced fire was negligible.
However the results of this research should not be regarded as an invitation to disregard the safety warnings on service station driveways. Regardless of the improbability of an incident occurring, you must obey the service station’s Site Rules while you are there. Typically these rules will require engines to be stopped, phones switched off and any form of fire extinguished.
For more information on static electricity and fuel fires see our Fact Sheet on static electricity.
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