Cellular phones explosion hazard or urban myth?

By: Drivers.com staff

Date: Monday, 07. April 2008

Thanks to the Internet, urban myths such as pet alligators escaping and populating New York's sewage system are spread around the globe at nearly the speed of light, and the latest-that sparks from cell, or wireless, phones have caused gas pump explosions-is no exception.

Even though no evidence exists that such explosions have occurred, multinational oil companies have reacted swiftly, issuing warnings to their dealerships and even posting decals at the pumps.

Citing an "extremely unlikely" risk of explosion, Exxon, for example, has mailed information to its 8,500 service stations in the U.S. about the risks. Included in the mailing are decals that add a "No Cell Phones" edict to the universal "No Smoking" signs at self-service pumps.

The concern, apparently, is that a wireless phone's battery pack could emit sparks and ignite gasoline fumes if someone dropped their cell phone.

The reports probably originated, at least in part, from a May 17 article in the Bangkok Post that referred to "a driver in Indonesia who was severely burned and his car wrecked when it exploded at a petrol station". In addition, the article mentioned an explosion in Adelaide, Australia in 1993 that "was likely caused by a mobile phone."

However, a spokesperson for the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service said recently that "at no time were mobile telephones suspected to be the cause of the fire."

That said, the possibility of cell phones causing an explosion cannot be dismissed out of hand. Most manufacturers of these devices have warnings in their owner's manual about such a likelihood.

Samsung, for instance, has the following to say:

"Turn off your phone in any area with a potentially explosive atmosphere. It is rare, but your phone or its accessories could generate sparks, which could cause explosion or fire.

"Areas with a potentially explosive atmosphere may not always be clearly marked. These may include: fuelling areas such as gas stations; below deck on boats; fuel or chemical transfer or storage facilities; areas where the air contains chemicals or particles such as grain, dust, or metal powders; any other area where you would normally be advised to turn of your vehicle engine."

The manual adds: "Do not transport or store flammable gas, liquid or explosives in the compartment of your vehicle containing your phone or accessories."

Similarly, Nokia warns phone users to switch off when refueling or near blasting.

Drivers should remember that gasoline is a volatile substance and it wasn't too long ago that the idea of untrained personnel (i.e. car owners) pumping their own gas was unthinkable. So, in spite of the remoteness of a cell phone conflagration, oil companies appear to be taking the viewpoint that it's better to be safe than sorry. A cynic might point out, though, that it's in the service station's best interest to keep customers moving in preference to them gabbing at the pump.

Another point is the fairness of singling out cellular phones as a source of danger at filling stations. Any electrical device, including the car's own electrical system, may cause a spark. In addition, sparks may result from dropped metal objects and, particularly in cold, dry climates, static electricity. Every driver in dry northern climes is familiar with the jolt they frequently get when touching car door handles in the winter.

In summary, cell phones may present a slight, though as yet undocumented danger. Far more dangerous, though, is the everyday practice of motorists using their phones at the wheel, even though drivers recognize the dangers of being distracted.

A survey by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) found that an overwhelming number of cellular phone owners (84 percent) believe that using a phone while driving is a distraction and increases the likelihood of an accident, based on in-home interviews with 2,094 adults living in the United States.

However, 61 percent of them report using their phones at least sometimes while driving and about one-third say they are on the phone frequently or fairly often, according to the report.

"People using cell phones when behind the wheel believe it may increase their risk of an accident," said IRC executive director Terrie Troxel, "but the urge to mix talking on the phone with driving on the road is a powerful combination which few can totally resist."

The IRC survey also found that younger people differ from older people in their attitudes toward cell phones and driving. Younger people are less likely to think that using a cell phone could increase the likelihood of accidents, and younger drivers are more likely to use their cell phones frequently or fairly often while driving.