Gas Prices Up Ahead Of Memorial Day Weekend
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — If you'll be hitting the roads this Memorial Day Weekend, you'll be taking at hit to your wallet as well.
As CBSLA's Craig Herrera reports, gas is up more than 60 cents since the start of the year. Nearly 70 cents since this time last year. This is the highest prices have been since August of 2015.
"Gas prices right now are $3.75 a gallon on average in the LA area," said Marie Montgomery of the Automobile Club of Southern California.
AAA says we had good prices in 2016 and 2017 due to cheaper oil.
"Now the price of oil has risen and so we're seeing the gas prices rise as a result," said Montgomery.
In November we had a 12 cents a gallon tax increase for the price of gas.
In addition to the price increase, AAA says plan on having a lot of company on the roads. They predict the highest number of travelers since 2005.
"It's an all time record, 5.1 million Californians," said Montgomery. "3.2 million Southern Californians will be hitting the road this weekend."
So what can you do to help save a little this Memorial Day weekend?
AAA says ease off the gas pedal a bit.
"Reducing your speed from 70 mph to 65 mph you can save $5 for every tank of gas," said Montgomery.
Going above the speed limit not only puts you at risk of getting a traffic ticket but spending more cash.
"The average amount that you would waste in gas if you went 80 mph consistently instead of 65 is $500 a year," said Montgomery.
You can also use the website or app called www.gasbuddy.com. It's free and drivers from around Southern California post where you can find the lowest prices on gas.
And AAA has a free website called gasprices.aaa.com where you can check out prices by state or by city.