Florida gas prices drop below $4 per gallon; AAA reporting lowest state average since March

Will gas prices continue to decline?

After paying almost $5 a gallon just a couple of months ago, Florida drivers are likely breathing a sigh of relief when seeing gas prices back below $4 a gallon. However, it's too early to tell just how long these sub-$4 gas prices will hang around.”

Mark Jenkins, AAA

Florida gas prices plummeted an average of 17 cents per gallon last week, continuing what is now a 7-week streak of declines. The state average has now dropped a total of 96 cents per gallon since mid-June. 

Additionally, the state average is back below $4 a gallon for the first time in nearly five months (March 6). On Sunday, the state average for regular unleaded was $3.93 per gallon. That's the lowest daily average price since March 5th.

The average full tank of gas now costs about $14 less than it did when pump prices were at their peak in mid-June. At that time, when the state average was $4.89 per gallon, drivers paid $73 to fill an average 15-gallon tank of gas. Now, that same 15-gallon tank costs around $59.

"After paying almost $5 a gallon just a couple of months ago, Florida drivers are likely breathing a sigh of relief when seeing gas prices back below $4 a gallon," said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. "However, it's too early to tell just how long these sub-$4 gas prices will hang around. Oil and gasoline futures prices made notable gains last week. This could cause falling gas prices to level out or potentially increase, but it's too early to tell."

The price for U.S. crude settled at $98.62 per barrel on Friday. That's 4% more than the week before. Gasoline futures jumped nearly 30 cents per gallon. The price hikes came after OPEC and its allies - who have steadily raised fuel production rates on a monthly basis, decided to hold production at current levels in September. While that adds to existing concerns about global fuel supplies, the market remains concerned about a global recession and the potential of it driving down global fuel demand.

Apopka Gas Prices

From gasbuddy.com

Regional Prices

• Most expensive metro markets – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($4.18), Naples ($4.13), Fort Lauderdale ($4.04)
• Least expensive metro markets – Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($3.70), Melbourne-Titusville ($3.74), The Villages ($3.75)

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.

AAA Resources for Drivers

• Enroll in savings programs. AAA Members who enroll in Shell's Fuel Rewards program can save 30 cents per gallon on their first fill-up and 5 cents per gallon each additional trip to the pump. Click here for more information.
• Get a tune-up. Ensure your vehicle is properly maintained to optimize its fuel economy. Visit AAA.com/AutoRepair to find a certified repair shop.
• Find the lowest gas prices in your area by using the free AAA mobile app.
• Determine anticipated fuel costs for your trip by using the AAA's Gas Cost Calculator.

Find Florida Gas Prices

• Daily gas price averages can be found at Gasprices.aaa.com 
• State and metro averages can be found here

	Sunday	Saturday	Week Ago	Month Ago	One Year Ago
National	$4.220	$4.232	$4.366	$4.857	$3.171
Florida	$3.929	$3.946	$4.097	$4.617	$2.972
Georgia	$3.771	$3.783	$3.901	$4.363	$2.967
Click here to view current gasoline price averages

Gas Price Survey Methodology
AAA updates fuel price averages daily at www.GasPrices.AAA.com. Every day up to 130,000 stations are surveyed based on credit card swipes and direct feeds in cooperation with the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) and Wright Express for unmatched statistical reliability. All average retail prices in this report are for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline.