Gas prices dive as Southern Californians projected to hit the road for Thanksgiving in record number.
The Thanksgiving holiday has a big impact on gas prices, with the prices falling as the sun sets and people head out for carpools or even family road trips. As the gas price spikes, so does the strain on gas-guzzling vehicles.
So far, November is shaping up to be a record-breaking month for gas prices for California drivers.
“We’ve been averaging a record-shattering $1.27 a gallon at the pump, a record since the winter. That’s up an incredible 60 percent from where we were early in the year,” said Paul Amadeo, a spokesman for AAA in Sacramento.
According to AAA, the statewide average price of gas was $1.265 on Tuesday. The national average price was $1.285.
As the weather warms up, consumers across the state will be more likely to drive and take vehicles to the shop for maintenance, or for other non-routine repairs.
“In fact, as we approach Thanksgiving, we’re going to see one of the lowest gas prices we’ve seen in years. So you can imagine that will drive demand up,” said Amadeo.
The AAA says as much as 15,000 more people will be driving in California for Thanksgiving after last week’s spike in gas prices.
“So if you’re like us and spend a lot of time in the car, then it’s definitely a very good day to go to the gas station,” said Amadeo.
Drivers are paying more
California drivers are paying more for gas than any other state in the country.
AAA’s statewide average price of $1.265 is higher than many other gas-price-sensitive economies, including New York ($1.242), New Jersey ($1.228), Illinois ($1.236) and Massachusetts ($1.227), according to AAA.
The AAA also has data coming out of Utah. AAA’s statewide average price of $1.246 is up about $0.09 from last year.
On Tuesday, one gallon of gas in Utah cost $1.