Using phone while pumping gas? Is it risky? When we pump gas, most of us are focused on the screen that shows the price going up as we pump. You might have looked at your phone at the gas pump to take your mind off it.
If you’ve heard that you shouldn’t talk on your phone while pumping gas, you might be surprised to learn this is good advice. Many people say that the one thing you should never do while getting gas is used your phone, but it might not be because most people think.
So, you might be wondering why there are “No cell phone” signs all over the gas pumps. In the end, should you talk on your cell phone while pumping gas? National Fire Protection Association staff liaison Michael Marando says there are better choices than this. Even though this old piece of advice is true, he surprised me by saying that the risks are very small, much smaller than you might have thought before.
Marando told USA Today that the warning is based on the idea that a cellphone might have enough power to make a spark, which, when mixed with gasoline, could start a fire. But, even so, this theory has been put to the test by more than one organization. What happened? Under experimental conditions, nothing has gone wrong, and there have been no explosions or fires.
Marando said he didn’t know when or why the warnings started appearing.
But that doesn’t mean you should start talking while you’re getting gas.
Besides the signs, don’t use your phone at the pump because it’s distracting. It’s risky to leave the gas pump in your automobile while checking your email. Especially when dealing with gasoline, it’s important to pay full attention to the task at hand.
Also, the risk is still there even if it needs to be recreated. It’s simple, leave your phone in the car if the choice is a gas fire or two minutes without it.
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