ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida gas prices have skyrocketed an average of 10 cents per gallon in the last week, according to AAA.
“Summer hasn’t officially begun but the driving season is off to a roaring start,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA, who also says gasoline demand has been stronger than it was this time last year.
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While the prices at the pump increase, the good news for drivers is that oil prices remain low.
The price of oil has settled to approximately $70.17 per barrel, which happens to be 2% less than last week’s. Oil prices have been declining, despite OPEC’s efforts to boost prices with production costs.
According to the Energy Information Administration, gasoline demand is still more than 9.2 million barrels a day, a little over 1% than that of last year.
FLORIDA PRICES
- Most expensive metro markets – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3.62), Naples ($3.52), Port St. Lucie ($3.51)
- Least expensive metro markets – Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($3.18), Pensacola ($3.22), Panama City ($3.22)
CENTRAL FLORIDA PRICES
- Daytona Beach: $3.477, up from $3.348 last week
- Lakeland-Winter Haven: $3.479, up from $3.309 last week
- Melbourne-Titusville: $3.466, up from $3.298 last week
- Ocala: $3.493, up from $3.305 last week
- Orlando: $3.474, up from $3.299 last week
- The Villages: $3.472, up from $3.328 last week
WAYS TO SAVE ON GASOLINE
- Combine errands to limit driving time.
- Shop around for the best gas prices in your community.
- Pay with cash. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
- Remove excess weight in your vehicle. Every 100 pounds taken out of the vehicle improves fuel economy by 1-2 percent.
- Drive conservatively. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduces fuel economy.
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