Across Jamaica, service stations are increasingly serving as social gathering spots and informal taxi hubs, attracting crowds far beyond their intended purpose and raising concerns about public safety.

As people congregate to socialise, await transportation or conduct business amid fuel pumps and heavy vehicular traffic, safety advocates warn that the combination of large crowds, moving vehicles and flammable fuels creates risks with potentially serious consequences.

One service station in Duhaney Park, St Andrew, is among those where passengers routinely flirt with danger. Students from the nearby Edith Dalton James High School gather there daily after classes, with some sitting on fuel pumps and using their mobile phones despite warning signs prohibiting the use of such devices near pumps. This occurs while attendants continue dispensing fuel without cautioning the youngsters.