(LOS ANGELES, Oct. 17, 2008) - Gas prices are plummeting even faster in other parts of the country, but Southern California drivers got a healthy dose of relief for their wallets at the gas pump during the past week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.387 per gallon, which is 12 cents less than last week, 38 cents lower than last month, and .35 above last year. In San Diego, the price is $3.364, which is 13.5 cents under last week's price, 42 cents below last month, and .29 higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.467, down 10.9 cents from last week, 40 cents below last month, and .30 more than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per gallon price is $3.361, which is 12.7 cents under last week, down 39 cents from last month, and .32 higher than last year.
"Double-digit gas price decreases in a week are much rarer than the double-digit weekly increases we've seen in this decade," said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. "As unusual as this reduction is locally, the drops are even more dramatic in other parts of the country. Nearly half of U.S. states now have price averages below $3 a gallon."
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m. Oct. 17:
Area | Regular | One-week change | Record Price |
$3.387 | - 12 cents | $4.626 (6/21/08) | |
$3.342 | - 12.3 cents | $4.598 (6/19/08) | |
$3.364 | - 13.5 cents | $4.630 (6/19/08) | |
$3.467 | - 10.9 cents | $4.709 (6/21/08) | |
$3.361 | - 12.7 cents | $4.614 (6/22/08) | |
$3.415 | - 18.1 cents | $4.591 (6/24/08) | |
$3.246 | -13.5 cents | $4.279 (6/21/08) |