Is the Ban on "Using Smartphones" While Refueling Gasoline a Global Standard? The Risk of Static Electricity Fires and Gas Station Practices in Different Countries

1. Why "No Smartphones While Refueling" is a Hot Topic Now

In November 2025, Japanese TV station TV Aichi aired a news segment titled "Prohibition of 'Using Phones' While Refueling Gasoline - Walking During Refueling Also NG - Beware of Static Electricity Fires." As the season transitions from autumn to winter, the news highlighted the dangers of static electricity at gas stations, coinciding with the time when dry air increases the occurrence of static shocks.Excite+1

The program explained that "there are about 30 cases annually where static electricity ignited gasoline, leading to fires," and provided the following precautions for self-service stations:Ameba Blog (Ameblo)

• Always touch the static electricity removal panel before refueling

• Do not operate your smartphone while refueling

• Do not walk away with the nozzle inserted

When this news spread online, questions like "Can a smartphone really cause a fire?" and "What do they do in other countries?" began to be discussed among Japanese people living abroad and tourists visiting Japan.

In this article, we will organize the risks of "Static Electricity × Gasoline × Smartphones", using the Japanese case as a starting point, and summarize global rules, realities, and best practices.

2. Key Points of "Static Electricity Fires" Reported in Japanese News

First, let's break down and organize the content reported in Japan.

2-1. Approximately 30 Static Electricity Fires Annually

According to statistics and reports compiled by the Japanese Fire and Disaster Management Agency, fires caused or influenced by static electricity at gas stations are reported at a level of several dozen cases annually. The TV Aichi news also introduced the figure of "about 30 cases per year."Ameba Blog (Ameblo)

While the number is not "very high," once a fire starts,

• severe burns to the body

• total destruction of vehicles

• damage to station facilities

can lead to major accidents.

2-2. Why "No Smartphones While Refueling" and "No Walking Around" Are NG

In Japanese station guidance, the following actions are particularly problematic:

1. Operating a smartphone while refueling

   • Attention is diverted to the smartphone, neglecting the insertion and removal of the nozzle or spilled gasoline

   • Static electricity is more likely to occur when taking items in and out of pockets or clothing
     
     

2. Walking away from the car with the nozzle inserted

   • Static electricity may accumulate, and a spark may fly when touching the nozzle or car body upon return

   • Unexpected movements may pull the hose, risking ignition of spilled gasoline

In Japanese self-service stations, a "Static Electricity Removal Panel (handprint-marked plate)" is often installed next to the fuel dispenser, and customers are instructed to touch it with their bare hands before handling the nozzle.JAPAN AUTOMOBILE FEDERATION (JAF)+2Reddit+2

Thus, Japanese rules are based on the two concepts of "not accumulating static electricity" and "not taking your eyes off refueling."

3. What Makes Static Electricity + Gasoline Dangerous?

So, how exactly are static electricity and gasoline dangerous?

3-1. Gasoline Burns Not as a "Liquid" but as "Vapor"

• Gasoline itself is a liquid, but it volatilizes even at room temperature, releasing flammable vapor.

• When this vapor mixes with air and reaches a certain concentration range (lower to upper explosive limits), combustion or explosion occurs the moment there is an "ignition source" like a spark.ehscompliance.com+1

Although gas stations are outdoors, gasoline vapor can locally accumulate around the nozzle and near the ground.

3-2. Even a "Small Spark" from Static Electricity Can Ignite Under Certain Conditions

Although the discharge energy from static electricity is very small,

• vapor concentration

• temperature

• discharge location

if these conditions align, there is a possibility of igniting gasoline vapor.

Reports from safety agencies and petroleum industry groups worldwide have documented cases of fires during gasoline refueling attributed to static electricity in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and other regions.Petroleum Equipment Institute+2My Digital Publication+2

3-3. When is Static Electricity Likely to Accumulate?

• During dry winter conditions

• Wearing synthetic fiber clothing (fleece, polyester, etc.)

• Repeatedly sitting and standing from car seats

• High insulation of tires and flooring

...these conditions make it easier for static electricity to accumulate on the body and clothing.

This is a common physical phenomenon regardless of country or region, meaning similar risks exist at stations worldwide.

4. How Dangerous is It According to Global Statistics?

4-1. U.S. Data: Rare but Not Negligible

In the U.S., several studies have investigated gas station fires involving static electricity.

• According to a compilation by researcher Babrauskas et al.,approximately 150-200 fires per year in the U.S. are estimated to involve ignition of gasoline vapor due to static electricity.ResearchGate

• Data collected by the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) indicates that over 70 static electricity fires during refueling were reported from the late 1990s to 2000, with many following the pattern of "returning to the car during refueling → ignition upon touching the nozzle again."Petroleum Equipment Institute+1

Considering the massive volume of gasoline sales, "billions of gallons annually," the probability is extremely low ("one in tens of millions level"). Still,

• it's a common activity for the general public

• the damage can be significant if it occurs

safety standards worldwide treat it as a "rare but non-zero risk" and address it seriously.

4-2. How Dangerous are Mobile Phones?

The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and multiple technical reports state that there is "almost no conclusive evidence that mobile phones have been a direct ignition source."NFPA+2Stonehouse Process Safety+2

On the other hand,

• sparks from battery failures or shorts in mobile phones or electronic devices

• the action of taking a phone in and out by a statically charged person

are theoretically potential risk factors, leading to a general assessment that "the risk is extremely low, but not entirely zero."scicom.sanei.or.jp+1

Therefore, many countries' stations continue to display "No Smartphone Use While Refueling."

5. The Real Aim of the Smartphone Ban is "Attention" and "Static Electricity"

The question arises, "If smartphones don't directly cause fires, is it necessary to ban them?"

The important point here is that "safety rules do not focus on a single danger."

5-1. "Behavior Design" to Focus on Refueling

• Focusing on a smartphone makes it harder to notice nozzle spills or changes in the surroundings

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