Georgia gasoline prices soared over the past week, rising 17 cents and breaking the $4 mark again.

According to the weekly press release from Montrae Waiters the spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group, Georgia drivers are now paying an average of $4.15 per gallon.

“Several factors continues to contribute to high pump prices,” said Waiters. “The high cost of crude oil continues to be the main culprit, as well as, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, increase demand, and the switch to summer blend gasoline. The summer blend is more expensive and can add up to ten cents more per gallon depending on the market. Georgians can anticipate Memorial Day weekend gas prices to remain elevated.”

Prices in Cobb County

The price of a gallon of regular unleaded in Cobb County is $4.13 at the time of this writing, about two cents less expensive than the statewide average.

It is always possible to find lower gas prices than the average by comparison shopping or using tools like http://gasbuddy.com.

What are the national trends?

AAA’s weekly report stated the following about national gas and oil trends:

Since last Monday, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by 12 cents to $4.59. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), tighter supply and increased demand have pushed pump prices higher. This supply/demand dynamic, combined with volatile crude prices, will likely continue to keep upward pressure on pump prices.

How does AAA determine gas prices?

According to AAA:

AAA updates fuel price averages daily at www.GasPrices.AAA.com. Every day up to 130,000 stations are surveyed based on credit card swipes and direct feeds in cooperation with the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) and Wright Express for unmatched statistical reliability. All average retail prices in this report are for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline.