Drivers in Jackson and across the nation paid more to fill up their vehicles last week than ever before.
Gasoline prices jumped 20¢ at a time at local pumps, soaring from $3.59 to $3.79 to up to $3.99 as the week progressed. By week’s end, prices settled in at about $3.89 at most gas stations in Jackson.
While local gas stations stopped just shy of the $4 mark, that was not the case across the nation.
The U.S. national average gas price hit $4.10 per gallon for an all-time high.
“Americans have never seen gasoline prices this high, nor have we seen the pace of increases so fast and furious. That combination makes this situation all the more remarkable and intense, with crippling sanctions on Russia curbing their flow of oil, leading to the massive spike in the price of all fuels: gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and more,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “It’s a dire situation and won’t improve any time soon. The high prices are likely to stick around for not days or weeks, like they did in 2008, but months. GasBuddy now expects the yearly national average to rise to its highest ever recorded.”
GasBuddy recommends drivers limit fuel consumption if possible, and to drive more fuel efficiently to help ease the strain on oil supply and potentially lessen the intensity of future price increases.
One bright spot: Jackson continues to serve up gasoline at a price lower than surrounding areas. We may be paying more than ever, but we still save some money by shopping locally.
