High Gas Prices on Pace for Record-Breaking Year

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County fell today for the 25th time in 26 days, dropping seven-tenths of a cent to $3.799.

The average price is 5.7 cents less than one week ago and 16.7 cents lower than one month ago but 78.3 cents higher than at this time last year, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

The average price has fallen 17.6 cents over the past 26 days, including
eight-tenths of a cent on Thursday.

The stretch of declines began Sept. 12. The average price fell seven consecutive days, was unchanged Sept. 19, then dropped each of the next 18 days.

The average price had risen 19 times in the past 20 days before the streak of declines began.

“Even with these price declines, 2011 is on track to become the record overall year for gas prices, despite the fact that we never got near the all-time record of $4.60 pump prices of 2008," said Jeffrey Spring of the Automobile Club of Southern California.

“The year-to-date average price motorists have paid in California is $3.84 a gallon for regular unleaded,'' he said. "Gas prices would have to average $2.44 a gallon between now and the end of the year for the yearlong average price to drop below the California annual record of $3.52 reached during 2008.''

--City News Service