After 12 straight weeks of drops, Southern California gas prices reversed course and headed back up in the last week of the year, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.65, seven cents higher than a week ago. The average national price is $3.12, which is the same as a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.74 per gallon, four cents higher than last week, 24 cents lower than last month, and 28 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.78, which is four cents higher than last week, 23 cents lower than last month, and 31 cents more than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.76, which is six cents higher than last week, 25 cents lower than last month, and 25 cents more than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.57, which is four cents higher than last week, 24 cents lower than last month and 27 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.76 average price is one cent lower than last week, 30 cents lower than last month, and 20 cents higher than a year ago today.
Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices rose last week as refineries prepared to enter their annual maintenance season, which often causes supply disruptions that raise pump prices.
“Although average gas prices are higher than this time last year, drivers paid less overall at the pump than they did in 2022, which was the year with the highest average gas price ever,” said Auto Club Spokesperson Doug Shupe. “It appears Los Angeles and San Diego will have an average price for 2023 of $5.05 per gallon, which is about 50 cents lower per gallon than the Los Angeles 2022 average price of $5.54 and the San Diego 2022 average of $5.48.”
The Auto Club reminds drivers of the following tips to save money on gas:
- If you use premium unleaded fuel, make sure it is required for your vehicle, not just recommended. The Auto Club's Automotive Research Center found that vehicles with recommended premium fuel performed safely with regular unleaded gasoline.
- 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 Dec. 28, averages are:
