Gasoline prices have been on the rise, and here’s what you need to know.
According to the American Automobile Association on Jan. 31, 2023, Ohio’s average retail price for a gallon of gasoline was $3.45. Around the same time last year, gasoline was about $3.13 per gallon. Five years ago, the average price was a mere $2.55 in the state of Ohio, as per ycharts.com.
AAA’s website also said that the highest price for gas recorded in the state of Ohio was $5.06 on June 9, 2022.
Ohio was among a handful of states to receive a noticeable surge in the cost of gas in the past month. But what exactly is going on at the pump to explain the recent jump in cost?
AAA said that there are a few reasons that gas has risen so much in the past month. For one, the increase can be attributed to rising demand in gasoline and pricey oil costs. Winter storms near the end of 2022 have also lessened the supply of gasoline.
CNN news said that oil refineries being disrupted by cold temperatures have contributed to the rising costs. The refineries operate at a lessened capacity when the weather is extremely cold.
On Jan. 27, CNN also said that GasBuddy predicted gas would be $4 per gallon by the end of May. Now, the company predicts that the cost of gas will be $4 per gallon by March.
After seeing that costs are rising, you might be asking yourself if there are any ways to save on fuel to avoid more trips to the pump. There are a few strategies that can be utilized to save on gas and to avoid burning more fuel than necessary.
AAA’s website says that driving habits are a large factor in determining fuel consumption of a vehicle. Improving driving habits can greatly decrease the amount of fuel a car consumes. The site also says that habits like speeding, hard acceleration and prolonged engine idling can all contribute to greater fuel consumption.
Good habits that can help to lessen fuel consumption include coasting before braking, timing traffic lights to reduce braking/acceleration, smooth acceleration and using cruise control.
Underinflated tires, the use of air conditioning and having heavy items in or on a vehicle can also contribute to more gasoline use. AAA’s site notes that extra fuel consumption due to excess weight in a vehicle is more noticeable in smaller vehicles.
AAA recommends that drivers avoid traveling during times that have high rates of traffic due to the nature of regular stopping and going.
Additionally, AAA offers a gas cost calculator on their website to calculate the cost of driving if you enter a starting point, destination and the kind of car that is being driven. Thinking ahead and effectively planning trips can also yield less visits to the pump.
