Gas Prices Plummet As Laguna Beach Drivers Stay Close To Home
This article originally appeared on the Laguna Beach Patch
LAGUNA BEACH, CA —Gas prices not seen since 2018 have hit the pumps in Laguna Beach, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. The price of a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline have dropped almost 40 cents from one year ago in Orange County as most drivers are following social distancing in the time of the new coronavirus pandemic.
The Orange County average price dropped to its lowest amount since Jan. 4, 2018, according to the Automobile Club of SoCal. The price has decreased 1.6 cents to $3.161 on average.
Regular unleaded gasoline has fallen for 30 consecutive days, decreasing 35.8 cents, including 2.2 cents on Wednesday.
The Orange County average price is 13.6 cents less than one week ago, 35.7 cents lower than one month ago and 36.9 cents below what it was one year ago. It has dropped 38.4 cents since the start of the year.
The dropping prices are the result of the significant decrease of commercial and general motorist traffic because of the coronavirus outbreak. Russia and Saudi Arabia have increased production and boosted the supply while lowering the price, according to Jeffrey Spring, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications manager.
Prices have also fallen to our north in Los Angeles County, they said. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline dropped Thursday to its lowest amount since Jan. 4, 2018, decreasing 2.8 cents to $3.188 on average in Los Angeles towns.
The average price has dropped 25 consecutive days and 28 of the past 29, decreasing 37.9 cents, including 2.7 cents on Wednesday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. The average price is 16.9 cents less than a week ago, 37.9 cents lower than a month ago and 38.6 cents below what is was one year ago. It has dropped 42.7 cents since the start of the year.
City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.
