TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — With the highest gas prices since 2014,
Florida set a new record high for the year at the pump.
The reason?
According to AAA, oil production was scaled back during the pandemic when demand was low. Fast forward to now, and demand is soaring, but supply has not caught up...driving crude oil prices way up.
"It's not just gas, groceries are going up, my rent is going up, it makes me worried."
Quinton Loges lives in Tallahassee.
With gas prices spiking, he says he's worried about the future.
"I'm not going to be able to afford the things that I need."
"Gas prices could get worse before they get any better."
Mark Jenkins is a spokesperson for AAA. The Auto Club saysMonday's national average gas price is $3.53 a gallon. Florida's average: $3.50. Still well below the state's record high of $4.08 a gallon set back in July 2008.
In the Big Bend, Franklin and Wakulla Counties have the most expensive gas prices at over $3.50 on average. (Franklin County has the second-most expensive gas prices in the state, behind Palm Beach County).
Gadsden and Leon Counties are the cheapest at a little over $3.40. (Gadsden County has the third-cheapest gas in the state, behind Okaloosa [2nd] and Jackson [1st] Counties).
But why?
"If it's more expensive to turn the lights on there they might be passing off the added expense to their consumers, it could come down to transportation costs if one is farther from the port than the other, if there are different municipal or county gas taxes that differ from neighboring counties."
Adding to the future fuel costs? An explosion that happened on Monday at the Marathon Garyville Refinery in Louisiana.
"It's certainly possible we could see a 5 to 10 cent increase just directly as a result of this if the refinery is experiencing any prolonged outages."
And with tensions growing between Russia and the Ukraine...
"Are there any sanctions that could impact the energy market that impacts Russian oil if so then we're looking at higher oil prices and as a result higher gas prices."
On Monday, Florida Senator Marco Rubio Tweeted his concerns over Russia and Ukraine, saying energy prices could skyrocket as a result.
"Unfortunately, how high they're going to go we just don't know."
AAA says to save money on gas; combine errands, pay cash at the pump, remove excess weight from your car, avoid aggressive acceleration, and keep up with your car's maintenance.
Gas is typically lowest this time of year, then increases in spring and summer as more people hit the road.
Right now in Florida, it costs just over $52 to fill up a 15-gallon tank. That's $13 more than this time last year.
