Georgia’s record-high gas prices are lowest nationwide, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
The average price for a gallon of gasoline in Georgia Monday was $4.29, matching a record high set on March 11. That figure is the lowest in the nation, as the average price for a gallon of gas in the United States Monday was $4.86.
Those prices, according to AAA, are expected to continue to rise.
“We cannot predict when we will see a decrease in gas prices,” Montrae Waiters, a spokeswoman for AAA in Georgia told The Georgia Star News. “At this point, it’s just a wait-and-see.”
She said that Georgia’s relatively low gas prices are mostly due to the efforts of Governor Brian Kemp (R) and the legislature, both working in tandem to temporarily eliminate the state’s gas tax, which added 30 cents per gallon at the pump.
Still, prices at the pump jumped 16 cents from one week ago, when a gallon of gas averaged $4.13. One month ago, that figure was $3.79 per gallon. One year ago, it was $2.91 per gallon.
Unsurprisingly, Georgia’s metro areas average the highest prices per gallon.
The average price of a gallon of gas in Atlanta was $4.30 Monday, a penny higher than the state’s average. That price was the same in Savannah, and only a few cents cheaper in places like Athens, Augusta and Columbus.
Waiters offered drivers tips on how to save at the pump.
She said consumers can shop around for gas prices using AAA’s mobile application, enroll in fuel sales programs, and make sure to maintain their vehicles in order to ensure optimum gas mileage.
According to the data, California had the highest average gas prices Monday, clocking in at $6.34 per gallon. Nevada was the second-highest, averaging $5.49 per gallon, while Hawaii was third at an average of $5.47 per gallon.
Oil companies, which often take the blame for high gas prices, are not necessarily the cause of the problem, according to Waiters.
She said that they are just as unsure about the market for crude oil as everyone else, and are not necessarily making higher margins per barrel of gasoline than they were before gas prices spiked in February.
Global markets remain turbulent, particularly with the war between Russia and Ukraine, the former of which is a large oil exporter.
President Joe Biden’s administration has also shut down potential sources of American energy independence, like oil drilling sites in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico, and the Keystone XL pipeline.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Gas Pump” by Upupa4me. CC BY-SA 2.0.
