Spanish gas stations: phone ban a myth or safety precaution?

The lingering myth of the gas station phone ban

Across Spain, you'll often spot signs prohibiting mobile phone use at gas stations. However, the current regulations surrounding this practice seem to be more of a longstanding myth than a genuine safety hazard. While Article 115 of the General Traffic Regulations specifies that “radiation-emitting devices, such as mobile phones,” should be switched off during refueling, the reality is far less strict. To date, no citizen has been fined, let alone experienced an explosion, due to mobile phone use at a gas station.

Understanding the regulations and enforcement

Major fuel companies like Repsol and Moeve (formerly Cepsa) clarify on their websites that the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Spain's traffic authority, isn't actively enforcing this rule. While fines ranging from €100 to €200 are technically possible according to the DGT, they haven't been issued. Moeve explicitly states that the phone ban is a