AAA Mid-Atlantic: Gas Prices Climb To Six-Month High
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Motorists continue to pay more at the pumps across the Philadelphia region. AAA Mid-Atlantic says gas prices are at their highest levels in more than six months.
AAA says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in the city's five-county region on Sunday was $2.42, up 3 cents from last week.
Drivers in southern New Jersey are paying 2 cents more than they were this time last week, with the average price at $2.04 per gallon.
But that's still much lower than the price from a year ago, when motorists were paying $2.86 per gallon in Philadelphia and $2.48 in South Jersey.
AAA says the national average has remained above $2 per gallon for nearly seven weeks, but Sunday's price of $2.21 is 45 cents cheaper than in 2015.
This marks the tenth straight week that prices at the pump have risen.
Analysts say gas prices are rising due to higher oil prices and strong demand for gas.
"Gasoline demand continues to break seasonal records as low prices motivate people to drive more," said Jana Tidwell, with AAA Mid-Atlantic. "Increased demand and more expensive oil costs have pushed gas prices higher in many parts of the country over the past few weeks, and prices may move even higher leading into the busy summer driving season."
The lower price environment for gas prices has not only led to drivers taking to the roads at record levels, but is also shifting attitudes about various price points. Attitudes towards gas prices have changed significantly over the past few years, according to a new survey by AAA.
AAA says half of U.S. drivers now believe gas is "too high" at $2.50 per gallon. As recently as 2014, half of Americans believed gas was "too high" at $3.30 per gallon, while last year half of Americans believed it was "too high" at $3 per gallon. More than 35 percent of Americans believe that gas is "too high" based on today's average price, even though gas prices are at the lowest levels since 2009. The vast majority of Americans also do not believe that gas is "cheap" today.
