By Cara Beth Lewis
Gas prices have continued to increase over the last several months, with some fluctuation here and there. According to AAA, “Crude oil prices dropped below $70/bbl at the end of last week in reaction to concerns about the delta variant, growing COVID case numbers, and the possibility of potential lockdowns. While crude is a little cheaper, gas prices are still positioned to remain high in August.”
In July, gas prices hit a 7-year high in the Carolinas. Even though our state is experiencing a price increase, our prices are not as high as other states in the nation.
Today, the national average price-per-gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.19. One year ago today, the national average was $2.17, meaning gas is nearly $1 more expensive per gallon. The highest recorded average is $4.11, according to https://gasprices.aaa.com/.
In North Carolina, the average price of regular unleaded gasoline is $2.93. One year ago today, the average was significantly lower, at $1.94 per gallon.
AAA offers these daily driving tips to help save on gas:
- Slow down and drive the speed limit. On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.
- Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine. It is unnecessary and wastes fuel.
- When approaching a red light or stop sign, take your foot off the gas early and allow your car to coast down to a slower speed until it is time to brake.
- Accelerate smoothly with light to moderate throttle. This allows the automatic transmission to upshift into higher gears sooner, reducing engine rpm and saving fuel.
- AAA members can save at the pump by joining the Fuel Rewards at Shell program at AAA.com/Shell. Members save 30 cents per gallon on their first fill-up when they join between now and August 31, 2021. As part of the Fuel Rewards program, AAA Members earn Gold Status ongoing and save five cents per gallon every day on each individual gas purchase of up to 20 gallons from participating Shell stations with no minimum fill-ups.
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