‘There’s a saying that there is a first time for everything. Even though there are no documented cases of cell phones causing a fire, experts warn it can still happen…’
By Neela Ramsundar
THE media reported that a woman caught on camera smoking at a local gas station was tracked down by the police and maybe charged under section 39 of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Regulations.
This makes it an offence punishable by a fine of $3,000 or imprisonment for six months where:
Any person who fills petrol into any receptacle on or adjacent to any motor vehicle or into the tank of a motor vehicle while the engine is running, or while any light, other than an electric light, is alight on the vehicle, and any person who smokes or lights a match or exposes a naked light in close proximity while petrol is being so filled is guilty of an offence.
Now there’s video footage circulating of a man dressed in a police uniform talking on his cell phone while at a gas station.
It’s pretty obvious why smoking and naked lights at a gas station are dangerous… it could ignite gasoline vapours and cause a fire. But many dismissed the new video as mischief. Many commentators said cell phone usage doesn’t cause fires and that this is basically a myth from a long time ago. Is it?
I did my own research. There doesn’t seem to be any proven case where sparks from a cell phone caused a fire. But that’s not the real reason why cell phones are a no-no. Those reasons will surprise you!
It’s a major distraction
Cell phones and vehicles just do not mix. They distract you. Whether it be texting, taking a call or reading emails, gas stations do not want you driving off with the gas nozzle still stuck in your car or spilling gas on your car and the floor causing a hazard.
Exploding batteries
Cell phones do not work properly all of the time. Cell phones are capable of exploding. Do you, for example, remember the massive recall around 2016 of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 after consumers reported injuries from exploding phones? In that case, Samsung reported that the battery was the source of the problem, where it generated excessive heat which caused them to explode. Imagine if one of those incidents had occurred while they were on their cell phone while tanking up.
The danger is still possible
There’s a saying that there is a first time for everything. Even though there are no documented cases of cell phones causing a fire, experts warn it can still happen, because cell phones apparently release static electricity. And static electricity is a potential ignition source of the flammable gasoline vapours in the air. (Static electricity is that type of energy you create when, for example, you rub a balloon on your head and cause your hair to raise up in the air, or walk across a carpet in socks then receive a shock from the doorknob.)
Overall, I view the distraction point to be the most compelling reason for prohibiting cell phone usage at a gas station. So, even though statically, the chance of your cell phone causing a fire may be very low, there remains very good reason for you to stay off your cell at the pump. Be safe Trinidad and Tobago.
Why Not To Use a Cell Phone in a Gas Station
‘There’s a saying that there is a first time for everything. Even though there are no documented cases of cell phones causing a fire, experts warn it can still happen…’
THE media reported that a woman caught on camera smoking at a local gas station was tracked down by the police and maybe charged under section 39 of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Regulations.
This makes it an offence punishable by a fine of $3,000 or imprisonment for six months where:
Any person who fills petrol into any receptacle on or adjacent to any motor vehicle or into the tank of a motor vehicle while the engine is running, or while any light, other than an electric light, is alight on the vehicle, and any person who smokes or lights a match or exposes a naked light in close proximity while petrol is being so filled is guilty of an offence.
Now there’s video footage circulating of a man dressed in a police uniform talking on his cell phone while at a gas station.
It’s pretty obvious why smoking and naked lights at a gas station are dangerous… it could ignite gasoline vapours and cause a fire. But many dismissed the new video as mischief. Many commentators said cell phone usage doesn’t cause fires and that this is basically a myth from a long time ago. Is it?
I did my own research. There doesn’t seem to be any proven case where sparks from a cell phone caused a fire. But that’s not the real reason why cell phones are a no-no. Those reasons will surprise you!
It’s a major distraction
Cell phones and vehicles just do not mix. They distract you. Whether it be texting, taking a call or reading emails, gas stations do not want you driving off with the gas nozzle still stuck in your car or spilling gas on your car and the floor causing a hazard.
Exploding batteries
Cell phones do not work properly all of the time. Cell phones are capable of exploding. Do you, for example, remember the massive recall around 2016 of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 after consumers reported injuries from exploding phones? In that case, Samsung reported that the battery was the source of the problem, where it generated excessive heat which caused them to explode. Imagine if one of those incidents had occurred while they were on their cell phone while tanking up.
The danger is still possible
There’s a saying that there is a first time for everything. Even though there are no documented cases of cell phones causing a fire, experts warn it can still happen, because cell phones apparently release static electricity. And static electricity is a potential ignition source of the flammable gasoline vapours in the air. (Static electricity is that type of energy you create when, for example, you rub a balloon on your head and cause your hair to raise up in the air, or walk across a carpet in socks then receive a shock from the doorknob.)
Overall, I view the distraction point to be the most compelling reason for prohibiting cell phone usage at a gas station. So, even though statically, the chance of your cell phone causing a fire may be very low, there remains very good reason for you to stay off your cell at the pump. Be safe Trinidad and Tobago.
Copyright © 2022 Neela Ramsundar, LL.B (HONS), L.E.C is a Civil Litigation Attorney at Law & Certified Mediator. Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for general informational purposes only and/or contain the opinions and/or thoughts of the writer only. It does not provide legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader. For legal advice on your specific situation, please contact an Attorney-at-Law of your choosing directly. Liability for any loss or damage of any kind whatsoever allegedly incurred as a consequence of relying on content in this article is thus hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.