The highest gas prices of the year could increase even more leading to the July Fourth weekend, but AAA Mid-Atlantic says that won’t deter record-breaking crowds from hitting the road for the holiday.
The national average for a gallon of regular gas was $3.09 on Monday, AAA reported, and the auto club said prices at the pump could jump another 5 cents this week.
Still, an estimated 43.6 million people across the U.S. are expected to drive somewhere to celebrate Independence Day, a year after COVID-19 all but canceled such large gatherings.
Gas prices have remained mostly steady for a month, with a slight decrease recently that was countered on Monday with a 2.5-cent increase, according to Gasbuddy, the fuel tracking app.
The average price for gas in Virginia stood at $2.93 Monday, 97 cents higher than a year ago, according to AAA.
“Today, 89 percent of U.S. gas stations are selling regular unleaded for $2.75 or more,” AAA spokesperson Morgan Dean said in a news release. “That is a stark increase over last July 4, when only a quarter of stations were selling gas for more than $2.25. Road trippers will pay the most to fill up for the holiday since 2014.”
On July 4, 2014, the average price for gas peaked at $3.66. This is the first year Fourth of July prices at the pump have topped $3 a gallon since.