CA Gas Prices Could Breach $5 Mark: Here's Why

CALIFORNIA — The deployment of Russian troops into Ukraine is expected to inflict further pain at the pump for Americans and especially Californians in the upcoming months.

Amid a historic rate of inflation, the price for gasoline shot up in recent months — and prices for regular gas are expected to keep inching closer to the $5 per gallon mark as the international crisis disrupts oil markets.

On Tuesday, $4.74 per gallon became the average price for regular gasoline in California, a staggering new record for the state, which already had the most expensive gas in the U.S., AAA reported.

The national average has risen to $3.53 — 21 cents higher than a month ago and 90 cents more than the same time last year, according to data from AAA on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden announced sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, lambasting the country's actions as a "flagrant violation of international law."

Sanctions imposed by the U.S. could prompt Russia to withhold oil from an already strained world market.

READ MORE: CA Inflation Again Hits Record: 'No Sign Of Easing'

"Russia is one of the leading oil producers globally, behind only the United States and Saudi Arabia," Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, said in a statement. "And if they choose to withhold their oil from the global market, such a move would eventually be reflected in higher gas prices for American drivers."

Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a $523 million gas tax holiday to halt another July gas tax increase, but it's unclear whether the state Legislature will approve that plan.

Experts have said that the consequences of inflation and the invasion of Ukraine could cause prices to swell more in the Bay Area than anywhere else.

"It's very likely that the Bay Area, especially San Francisco and San Jose, will get to that $5 gallon average," Patrick De Haan of Gasbuddy told ABC7.

In San Francisco, the average price per gallon for regular gasoline reached $4.90. In San Jose, it hit $4.80.

In Los Angeles, the average price hit $4.78 per gallon, and San Diego's average price reached $4.74. Riverside rose to $4.70, and Orange County reached $4.76.

De Haan added that it may be quite a while before Golden Staters see lower prices again.

"It's going to take us maybe a year or two to get back to normal. And for all of these issues to fade to the backdrop before we start to see more of what Californians have grown accustomed to, that is, $3, $4 a gallon prices," he told ABC7.

California has the highest gas prices in the nation, which are close to eclipsing $5. Meanwhile, Missouri has the lowest gas prices in the U.S., with a state average of $3.17 per gallon for regular gas. Texas, which is the second-most populous state after California, also has some of the cheapest gas in the country, with a $3.21 per gallon average price for regular gasoline.

READ MORE: CA 'Gas Tax Holiday' Proposed Amid Surging Fuel Prices

Biden on Tuesday said he was working to limit the effects on gasoline prices of the upcoming sanctions on Russia.

“I want to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump," Biden said Tuesday from the White House. "This is critical to me."

The president said his administration would work to keep energy supplies stable to "blunt gas prices."

Before this week's international crisis, prices on everything from groceries to gasoline rose to their highest point in 40 years, placing a major strain on those who live in California — one of the nation's most expensive states to live.

The Labor Department reported last month that a measure of inflation that excluded volatile food and gas prices jumped 5.5 percent in December over the same month a year earlier, the highest increase in decades. The nation's overall inflation rate was 7.5 percent over last year.

In the Golden State, prices rose sharply for cars, gas, food and furniture as part of a rapid recovery from the pandemic recession, fueled by infusions of government aid and emergency intervention by the Fed, which slashed interest rates. As Americans ramped up spending, supply chains were squeezed by shortages of workers and raw materials.

Supply chain snags spurred by the ongoing pandemic remained the major contributors to increased prices in 2021. Most economists said inflation won't sink back to prepandemic levels for quite a while.

"U.S. inflation pressures show no sign of easing," said James Knightley, chief international economist at the financial services company ING. "It hasn't been this high since the days of Thatcher and Reagan. We could be close to the peak, but the risk is that inflation stays higher for longer."

Here are some tips offered by AAA to get better gas mileage.

• Avoid "jack rabbit" starts, rapid acceleration and hard braking. These actions can lower fuel economy by 15 to 30 percent.
• Avoid excessive idling. A car engine typically consumes a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour when idling.
• Avoid commuting during rush hour, the busiest traffic time.
• Time stoplights to maintain momentum and avoid stop-and-go driving.
• Use cruise control.
• To warm the engine, drive instead of idling.
• Use a prepaid fast pass on toll roads.
• For manual drivers, shift gears efficiently by upshifting as soon as possible. When coming to a stop, use the brakes instead of downshifting.
• Watch your speed. Fuel economy peaks around 50 mph in most vehicles. Reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy 7 to 14 percent, according to AAA.

Patch readers, what's the most you've paid for a gallon of gas in California recently? Share with us in the comments.