By Jordan Hum | Copy Editor
The average price of gas in California has reached an all-time high of $4.713 per gallon while the national average remains at $3.394 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
In November, California broke the state record of $4.671 per gallon, which was established in October 2012. Days later, the new record was broken again, with the price for regular-unleaded gasoline rising six-tenths of a cent per gallon.
The reason for the increase in price has to do with increased demand for fuel, according to AAA Southern California spokesman Doug Shupe.
“We had really, really low demand during the pandemic, and then it just ramped up rapidly as more and more people became vaccinated,” Shupe told ABC News. “The desire to get out there and travel really picked up quickly.”
Another reason for the increased gas price is the weather, according to AAA spokesman Jeffery Spring. Spring noted that the heavy rain affected the oil refineries’ condition, thus affecting the production.
“That’s what really pushed prices up in Northern California, which then pushed the average price for California,” said Spring to the Los Angeles Times.
California residents are looking for other reasons to explain why the gas prices are so high. According to Fox News, “Some Mendocino, Calif., drivers blame Biden for soaring gas price.”
This accusation may be false, as Severin Borenstein, an energy economist at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, told SFGATE.com, “In the long run, a president could have some effect on oil prices by making major changes in the land available for development and related regulations,” he continued, “but even that would be difficult without the support of Congress. And it would take many years or longer to have any impact on oil prices.”
The average price per gallon for California in 2020 was $3.184, which was $1.529 cheaper than the price today. The increased prices have left many California residents disgruntled.
“It’s insane,” said Gabrielino High School junior Nathan Kan, “I pretty much have to use my entire allowance to pay [for gas].”
The average price for mid-grade, premium, and diesel gasoline in California is $4.898, $5.024, and $4.850. The average prices for those gases last year were $3.357, $3.489, and $3.361.
Los Angeles County, San Gabriel included, sees an average of $4.713 per gallon. Next door, Orange County sees an average price of $4.681.
The county with the highest-priced gas in California is Mono County, located on the Nevada border, totaling $5.643 per gallon. The county with the cheapest average gas price in California is Modoc County, located on the northwest border, with a gallon costing $4.485.
According to Rocket HQ, the average fuel size in cars can hold 15 gallons. That means that it costs around $70 to fill up the average car in California.
The state with the lowest average gas price is Texas, with an average of $2.983 per gallon, making Texas’ gas 58 percent cheaper than California’s.
In order to maximize fuel efficiency, AAA recommends having properly inflated tires and getting rid of extra weight, as those two factors can increase fuel usage.
While the prices may decrease in the future, the demand will likely stay consistent towards the end of this year and the beginning of 2022.
“We really don’t know when we’re going to see them starting to lower,” said Shupe. “It’s possible we could see higher prices with us through the holiday season.”