High gas prices have returned, rising sharply amid the recent conflict in the Middle East, leaving many drivers facing unexpectedly high pump prices.
After a period of relatively stable and low gas prices, the national average price for regular unleaded gas, which had been below $3/gallon since early December 2025, quickly jumped following the military action in Iran that began on Feb. 28.
The national average gas price is now $3.47 — up 48 cents in the past week — and the average in the Wilkes-Barre area is $3.45 — up 41 cents in the past week.
“As drivers, we can’t control the global fuel market, but we can control how efficiently we use every gallon,” said Jana Tidwell, Public & Government Affairs Manager for AAA Club Alliance. “Additionally, there is uncertainty about how high prices will go and how long they will stay high.”
From regular car care to using resources for gas discounts and adapting the way we drive, motorists can follow these tips from AAA to lessen the pain at the pumps:
Vehicle maintenance
• Maintain your car according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Modern cars don’t need “tune-ups,” but regular service will ensure optimum fuel economy, performance, and longevity.
• Take your car to a repair shop as soon as possible if the “Check Engine” light comes on. This indicates a problem that is causing excessive emissions and likely reducing fuel economy.
• Keep tires properly inflated. Under-inflation reduces fuel economy, but more importantly, tires low on air degrade handling and braking, wear more rapidly, and can overheat and blow out.
The daily drive
• Slow down and drive the speed limit. On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.
• Avoid “jackrabbit” starts and hard acceleration. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption.
• Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine, even in winter. It’s unnecessary and wastes fuel.
• Avoid prolonged idling in general. If your car is stopped for more than 60 seconds, shut off the engine to save fuel. Many newer cars have automatic engine stop-start systems that do this.
• When driving in town, adjust your speed to “time” the traffic lights. This reduces repeated braking and acceleration that consume additional fuel.
• When approaching a red light or stop sign, take your foot off the gas early and allow your car to coast down to a slower speed until it is time to brake.
Accelerate smoothly with light to moderate throttle. This allows the automatic transmission to upshift into higher gears sooner, reducing engine rpm and saving fuel.
• Use cruise control to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel. However, never use cruise control on slippery roads because a loss of vehicle control could result.
• If your car has a manual transmission, upshift as soon as you can without “lugging” the engine. When practical, you can also save fuel by skip-shifting – for example, going directly from first gear to third.
Don’t be ‘fueled’ into wasting gas
The practices above will help improve fuel economy. Also, keep these more general fuel-saving tips in mind:
• Minimize your use of air conditioning. Even at highway speeds, open windows have less effect on fuel economy than the engine power required to operate the air conditioning compressor.
• Combine errands into one trip and travel during off‑peak times when possible.
• If you own more than one car, choose the most fuel‑efficient option for each trip.
Other tips and tricks
• Shop around for the best gas prices. Drivers can use tools such as the free AAA mobile app to find and compare current gas prices closest to their location.
• Take advantage of discounts. Fuel retailers, grocery store chains, or discount clubs sometimes offer discounts per gallon or based on your spending or the accumulation of points for shopping there. There are also credit cards that offer fuel discounts or cash back on fuel purchases.
• In hot weather, park in the shade or use a windshield sunscreen to lessen heat buildup inside the car. This reduces the need for air conditioning (and thus fuel) to cool down the car.
• Remove unnecessary and bulky items from your car. It takes more fuel to accelerate a heavier car, and the reduction in fuel economy is greater for small cars than for larger models.
• Minimize your use of roof racks and remove special carriers when not in use. On the highway, even an empty bike, canoe or ski rack can reduce fuel economy, and a loaded rack or car-top container will have a major effect on gas mileage.
• AAA research has found that unless premium fuel is recommended or required by your car’s manufacturer, it provides no added benefit. Motorists should refer to their vehicle’s owner’s manual to check which type of gasoline is recommended for their engine.
Review homeowners’ insurance policies
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) this week is urging Pennsylvanians to review their homeowners’ insurance policies and take the necessary steps to protect their homes from spring-related storm damage.
“We’re encouraging homeowners to take a serious look at their current coverage before spring officially arrives,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys. “Along with snow melting, spring weather is typically accompanied by heavy rainfall, so now is a great time to make sure you have adequate coverage, especially when it comes to flood damage.”
The Commonwealth has a competitive and robust insurance marketplace, and Pennsylvanians can shop for homeowners’ insurance at any time.
Even homeowners who are satisfied with their current coverage should still review their policies. Specifically, homeowners should check:
• Whether you are insured for replacement cost coverage or actual cash value of the property.
• The amount of your deductibles, including peril-specific deductibles for wind and hail.
• That you are covered for flood damage. Flood insurance is not included in a standard homeowners’ insurance policy, so many insurers offer it for an additional premium, or homeowners may purchase a stand-alone policy from a private insurer or the National Flood Insurance Program.
PID also recommends that homeowners consider ways to minimize potential storm damage to their homes.
This includes: clearing gutters and downspouts; trimming trees away from their home and power lines; clearing walkways and driveways of potential hazards; installing storm shutters; securing outdoor furniture; inspecting the underside of the roof for possible leaks; and knowing how to shut off their utilities.
Municipal League welcomes new members
The Pennsylvania Municipal League this week announced new members of its Board of Directors for 2026.
Under the leadership of League President J. William Reynolds, the Mayor of Bethlehem, welcomed new Legislative Committee Co-Chairs Peter Urscheler, Mayor of Phoenixville, and Jeff Cusat, Mayor of Hazleton.
The League is a bipartisan organization, representing municipal leadership of both political parties. The Legislative Co-Chairs serve on the Legislative Committee, which helps advise League staff on our policy development process. The committee also assists with advocacy on our issues, especially our legislative priorities.
The League’s Legislative Priorities in 2026 focus on Municipal Finance, Community Development & Infrastructure, and Public Safety. You can find more details on the website at www.pml.org.
Additional new board members include:
• Sandie Walker, mayor of York, as a director at large.
• William Lowthert, manager of Lewisburg, was named the North Central district officer.
• William Barrett, Wilkes-Barre councilmember, was named the Northeast district officer.
New large municipality appointees include Mayor Daria Devlin of Erie and Mayor Corey O’Connor of Pittsburgh.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on X @TLBillOBoyle.