JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Gasoline prices across the United States have climbed above $4 a gallon on average, reaching their highest level since 2022, according to AAA.<\/p>\n
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now $4.02, up from around $2.98 a month ago.<\/p>\n
In Florida, the increase is even steeper. AAA reports the state\u2019s average for regular gasoline at $4.21 a gallon, while diesel has surged to $5.80, a new record for the Sunshine State.<\/p>\n
In Jacksonville, drivers are seeing similar spikes. <\/p>\n
AAA reports the average for regular gas at $4.25, up from $2.87 just a month ago, and premium gas at $5.00, up from $3.69. <\/p>\n
Diesel in the metro area has climbed to $5.84, also setting a new local record.<\/p>\n
The sharp rise comes amid global instability affecting crude oil markets, seasonal refinery changes to summer-blend gasoline, and increased demand from spring travel. <\/p>\n
Analysts say these combined factors are pushing prices higher across the country.<\/p>\n
Economists warn that sustained high fuel costs can affect household budgets and the broader economy, particularly if crude oil prices remain elevated.<\/p>\n
Stopgap measures<\/p>\n
Global leaders have been scrambling to contain the rising cost of oil and gasoline since the start of the Iran war, which took a record amount of oil off the market when tankers full of crude were stranded in the Persian Gulf and military strikes damaged refineries, pipelines and export terminals.<\/p>\n
Hoping to ease some pain for consumers, President Donald Trump and other heads of state have been pulling on various levers, launching more oil on the market in a bid to calm the chaos.<\/p>\n
A group of 32 nations that are members of the International Energy Agency began releasing the largest volume of emergency oil reserves<\/a> in its history: 400 million barrels. <\/p>\n Trump is tapping into oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve<\/a> while lifting sanctions on Russian<\/a> and Iranian crude and temporarily waiving the Jones Act, a maritime law that requires ships carrying goods between U.S. ports to be U.S.-flagged. <\/p>\n