Pain at the pump? Gas prices top $4 in Beaufort County for the first time since 2008
The average cost for a gallon of regular gasoline topped $4 in Beaufort County this week for the first time since 2008.
According to AAA South Carolina, the current average price in Beaufort County is $4.08 — up from an average of $3.61 last week. Beaufort County’s average price for a gallon of regular hit a record high of $4.15 in September 2008. and was $2.60 a year ago.
The average cost across South Carolina was $4.02 on Wednesday with a national average of $4.25.
California has the most-expensive prices in the country, averaging $5.44 a gallon as of Tuesday, according to AAA and the GasBuddy app. Only five states, all in the Midwest, had gas with an average price below $3.80 a gallon.
The AAA warns prices at the pump could increase another $0.10 to $0.15 after the U.S. price of oil surged 26% last week, rising a little more than $24 a barrel.
Crude oil prices have surged in response to the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine, and as the was continues, the oil markets will likely respond by continuing to increase the price of crude to reflect more risk of disruption to tight global oil supplies this week, according to the AAA.
Additionally, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that total domestic crude stocks decreased by 2.6 million barrels last week to 413.4 million barrels. The current stock level is approximately 15% lower than at the end of February 2021, contributing to pressure on domestic crude prices.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday a ban on U.S. imports of Russian oil in response to the Ukraine invasion and warned that the move would likely raise gas prices for Americans even more.
Below are a few basic fuel-saving tips motorists can take:
▪ Maintain your vehicle to optimize fuel economy.
▪ Combine errands to limit driving time.
▪ Shop around for the best gas prices in your community. Use websites like AAA.com and the GasBuddy app.
▪ Consider paying cash. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
▪ Remove excess weight in your vehicle.
▪ Drive conservatively. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduces fuel economy.
