LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — An impact from the Iran conflict being felt in Tampa Bay is higher prices at the gas pump.

AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said the state average price per gallon hit $3.49 Monday — the most expensive since July 2024. Jenkins said it’s hard to say how long the higher prices will last. 

What You Need To Know

 Floridians are among the drivers nationwide paying more at the pump as the conflict in Iran leads to increased crude oil prices

 According to AAA, the average price per gallon in Tampa Bay was $3.55 Monday

 The average price per gallon statewide was $3.49, up from $2.83 one week ago

Pasco County drivers had different opinions on the increase’s impact, with some saying it will be a hit to their household budgets and others saying they support U.S. actions in Iran and higher costs are a small price to pay

“It’s been a roller coaster day on the oil market, with oil prices really skyrocketing up to $119 a barrel. If you had asked me at the time where are gas prices going, I would say that they’re probably heading for $4 a gallon,” Jenkins said. “But now, Monday afternoon, they’ve plummeted.”

That drop hadn’t impacted gas prices yet. Spectrum Bay News 9 found a RaceTrac on State Road 52 where customers paid $3.79 per gallon Monday afternoon.

“I said, ‘Whoa! My God! That’s crazy!'” said driver Tyler Pregi.

“Wasn’t happy, I’ll say that,” said Brooksville resident Blake Briscoe.

Briscoe said it cost him $55 to fill his tank Monday, about $20 more than usual. With a 60-mile round trip commute to work, he said higher gas prices will eat into his household budget if they stick around.

“A good bit. I mean, it’s an extra $50 down the drain that you’ve got to work with every week. I drive a lot for work, too, so it hurts,” he said.

According to AAA, fuel markets are reacting to traffic coming to a standstill in the Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict in Iran. It said the strait handles 20% of the world’s oil shipments, and the traffic stop is pushing prices higher.

At the pump, Florida’s state average per gallon surged by 57 cents last week.

“It’s a small price to pay for the amount of business that’s being taken care of across the globe,” said driver Joshua Watts. “If we’ve got to pay a little extra for groceries and gas this week, so be it. Freedom isn’t cheap.”

Watts said between hot rods he owns and his business repairing and customizing rims, Rim Jobs LLC, he’s on the road a lot. He said he also served in the Army and supports U.S. action in Iran.

“I’ve been over there,” Watts said. “I’ve been to a lot of countries over there, and I know firsthand what people here take for granted. People here think they know over there. They don’t know.”

Pregi told Spectrum Bay News 9 that he’s not worried about the higher prices, yet.

“At the moment, no,” he said. “Maybe if it keeps going up a little higher, I’ll start to get a little bit more worried.”

“For drivers, we just have to buckle up and just get ready for the ride,” said Jenkins.

AAA stated there are steps drivers can take to be more fuel efficient, including avoiding rapid starts and hard braking, maintain steady speeds, and lighten their loads.