AAA says it may be some time before they come down.
Baltimore, Md. (KM) – The average price of gasoline in the United States has now passed the $5.00 per gallon mark. AAA Mid-Atlantic says both the national average and the Maryland average are $5.01 per gallons. “And Frederick is just a little below $5.00 per gallon at $4.99 for the average in Frederick. But still 22-cents more than it was a week ago,” says Ragina Ali, the Government and Affairs Manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
Ali says one reason is the price of crude oil which is over $100 per barrel. . She says also there’s an increasing demand among consumers for gasoline, but supplies are very tight. “Some bit to do with the war in Russia and Ukraine, and some of the factors involving those geo-political events,:” she says.
This trend may continue for a while. “Demand continues to climb, and that those global supplies continue to remain tight. With those factors still in play, it’s will be certainly interesting to see what gas prices do. But we do not see any immediate relief in sight,” says Ali.
In the meantime, AAA says there are some things motorists can to do help cope with continuously rising gasoline prices. They include regular maintenance on your car, and keeping the tires properly inflate. Also, avoid idling. “We know that idling gets you zero miles per gallon,:” says Ali. If you’re in a line waiting to use the drive-up teller at a bank, for example, she says turn off your engine.
Another tip is driving at the speed limit. “Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60-miles an hour,” says Ali. “In fact, for every five miles per hour you drive over 60-miles per hour it’s like paying an additional 15-cents per gallon of gasoline.”
Also, Ali says, consolidate all of your errands into one trip.
AAA also has a web site you can view to see which gas stations in your community have the lowest prices. The web address is aaa.com/fuelfinder.
By Kevin McManus
