Statewide, the average price for regular-grade gasoline has climbed 7.7 cents per gallon since last week to $3.68, or 35 cents higher than the national average for the same fuel, according to the California Energy Commission.
A year ago, motorists in the Los Angeles area were grappling with regular-grade, per-gallon gasoline prices of $3.27, according to the Automotive Club of Southern California, which tracks daily average fuel prices across the Southland.
While consumers often expect prices to peak over the summer, the highest prices are usually in May, AAA spokeswoman Marie Montgomery said.
In Glendale on Wednesday, prices at many gas stations were higher than those in Burbank, when the average per gallon price for regular-grade gasoline was $3.73 for the region.
“I don’t eat out, I don’t go to movies, I don’t get my nails done, I don’t even buy my dog treats anymore,” Glendale resident Shena Nickell said as she pumped regular-grade gasoline into her Ford Explorer for $3.86 per gallon at a Chevron in Montrose. “And it still hurts.”
Montgomery declined to speculate how far prices might climb with nearly three weeks left in April, but several gas stations in Glendale already had their per-gallon prices for premium gasoline above $4, with the lower grades not far below. Some station in Burbank also had advertised prices for premium-grade gasoline at more than $4 per gallon.
While motorists may feel helpless to control the macroeconomic forces that push gas prices, market analysts say consumers can do several things to cushion the impact on household budgets.
For starters, they say, drivers should shop around.
