Gas prices are lowest in SC in years. Here’s why drivers pay more in Beaufort County

Going to the pump in Carolinas has been pretty painless for many drivers for the past few weeks — unless they live in Beaufort County.

Across much of North and South Carolina, the average current price is the cheapest it’s been in three years, according to a AAA news release. South Carolina’s $1.92 average is also down a cent over the same time period, and trends indicate that prices will likely remain low for at least the first half of the month. In North Carolina, average prices are at $2.13.

Drivers on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton, however, are paying more at the pump.

The price for gas Thursday on Hilton Head was $2.07 at a BP gas station located on Fording Island Road, according to GasBuddy.

In Bluffton, a Parker’s gas station located on Fording Island Road near Colleton River Road had the cheapest gas Thursday at $2.04.

So why are we paying a little more in Beaufort County?

Some S.C. cities are just too popular

The sad truth is that the lower prices drivers have seen here in the past few weeks are about as good as they’ll get.

Hilton Head is a “year-round” destination, said Tiffany Wright, AAA Carolina’s spokesperson, which means the demand for gas will always be high, no matter the season. In Myrtle Beach, another resort destination, the tourism season ebbs and flows, Wright said.

Myrtle Beach has more of a concentrated time frame for tourists, said Wright. Things actually slow down along the Grand Strand.

Hilton Head, on the other hand, has an abundance of vacation homes that people return to throughout the year, making it a place where people simply want to gas up fast.

Hilton Head’s popularity is, of course, mostly a good thing, said Wright, but that popularity is a big reason why it has one of the highest gas prices in the state.

Gas station competition

A few weeks ago, a member of a Hilton Head and Bluffton-area Facebook group posted a photo of two gas stations — same franchise, different locations — that had drastically different prices.

While one station had the cheapest gas at $1.99 per gallon. The other, just down the road sold gas at $2.34.

The differing prices in one location can be attributed to the simple game of competition, even with gas stations within the same franchise, said Wright.

“Especially with prices so low right now, gas stations are competing to get your attention and get you inside,” she said.

Stations closer to heavily trafficked area are where drivers need to pay extra attention to who has the cheapest gas.

Drivers also will likely see higher prices at gas stations just off highways because retailers know drivers may be desperate for gas.

Websites and apps can give drivers the information they need to save some money when filling up their tanks.

Download the GasBuddy app to check which stations have the cheapest gas in an area.

Google Maps and Waze also have features that let drivers double-check where to stop.

Taxes (or lack thereof)

If you cross the border between South Carolina and Georgia on a constant basis, you may have noticed South Carolina usually has cheaper prices.

The state consistently ranks as one of the cheapest states at the pump. You can thank S.C. lawmakers for that.

For over three decades, South Carolina refused to increase the state gas tax.

It wasn’t until 2017 that lawmakers passed a roads bill that took effect July 1 of that year. The measure increases the state’s gas tax by 12 cents over six years, meaning South Carolina’s gas taxes will rise by 2 cents each year.

There were pros to the state refusing to increase the tax for the everyday S.C. resident, the main one being lower prices. But the biggest con was a lack of money for road repairs and construction. And that’s what compelled lawmakers to make the change.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation now expects to have roughly $149 million to improve the state’s roads and infrastructure.

Here’s one more thing to keep in mind. When you file your taxes, don’t forget the tax form I-385. Make sure to keep all your gas receipts and you could save yourself a bit of cash at the end of the year.

How long will low prices last?

Nobody really knows, so that’s why drivers should enjoy the lower gas prices while they can, said Wright.

GasBuddy’s 2019 fuel price outlook said that, while the beginning of the year looks great, prices are likely to rise around springtime.

According to GasBuddy, gas prices could spike around May, and the national gas price average could rise back up to $3 per gallon.

Politics also plays into gas price trends, according to the GasBuddy report.

Government policies could drive up prices or lower them, and even a statement from President Donald Trump could shift the market dramatically.

“In some respects, putting an accurate forecast together for fuel prices in 2019 feels like playing darts blind and hoping for a bullseye,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “... I say that 2019 represents one of the most difficult to predict fuel outlooks in my career.”