Menu More MORE
AAA
Roadside... Roadside Assistance

Auto Club: Gas Prices Up Again

Choosing gas octane by Mike Mozart
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ jeepersmedia/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/
Credit: Mike Mozart

Southern California gas prices rose in response to wholesale price increases last week and earlier this week, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.76, which is seven cents higher than last week. The average national price is $4.25, which is 11 cents higher than a week ago.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.84 per gallon, which is six cents higher than last week, 12 cents lower than last month, and $1.73 higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.81, which is seven cents higher than last week, 10 cents lower than last month, and $1.72 higher than last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.84, which is five cents higher than last week, seven cents lower than last month and $1.77 higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.77, which is five cents higher than last week, 10 cents lower than last month and $1.74 higher than last year. In Bakersfield, the $5.79 average price is four cents more than last Thursday, six cents lower than last month and $1.84 higher than a year ago today.

“Gas prices rose throughout the U.S. this past week because of continued supply concerns related to Russian oil,” said Auto Club spokesman Doug Shupe. “Continued high gas prices have many consumers thinking about buying more fuel-efficient or alternative fuel vehicles, and the new AAA Car Guide produced by the Auto Club’s Automotive Research Center is now available to help them assess their options.”

 

The Auto Club reminds drivers of the following tips to save money on gas:

  • Look into carpooling if you commute a significant distance. Carpooling with one other person cuts commute costs in half, and you can cut your commute costs by two-thirds by carpooling with two other people.
  • Make sure your tires are properly maintained and inflated to the correct level.
  • Maintain your car according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Regular service will ensure optimum fuel economy.
  • Avoid “jackrabbit” starts and hard accelerations. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption.
  • Slow down and drive the speed limit. Fuel economy peaks around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speed increases. Reducing freeway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%.
  • Use cruise control on the highway to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel. However, never use cruise control on slippery roads because you could lose control of the vehicle.
  • Minimize your use of air conditioning.
  • Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine, even in colder temperatures. It’s unnecessary and wastes fuel.
  • Remove  unnecessary and heavy items from your car.
  • Minimize your use of roof racks and remove special carriers when not in use.
  • Download the AAA App to find the cheapest gas prices near you.

 

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 5, averages are:

May 5 WEGW

 

Media Contacts

Doug Shupe
(512) 659-1632
shupe.doug@aaa-calif.com

Anlleyn Venegas
Public Affairs Specialist. English/Spanish Language Media Spokesperson
(619) 565-4556
Venegas.Anlleyn@ace.aaa.com

CST 1016202-80 Copyright © Automobile Club of Southern California. All Rights Reserved.
The Automobile Club of Southern California is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in the following California counties: Inyo, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura.