Florida gas prices dip for 3rd week in a row
TAMPA, Fla. - Florida's gas prices fell for the third consecutive week, even through the Independence Day holiday weekend.
The average price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline in Florida was $4.54 on Tuesday, down a dime from a week earlier and dropping a total of 35 cents through the past three weeks, according to the AAA auto club.
Prices went down nationally because fewer people fueled up during the past two weeks. But AAA said prices could increase again.
"Gas prices are being dragged lower by falling crude oil prices, which suffered steep losses Tuesday, on worries of a global economic slowdown," said AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins. "If these futures price drops hold, drivers could see Florida gas prices drift back below $4.10 per gallon. However, this is still an extremely volatile fuel market, and we've seen oil prices rebound so many times in the past several months."
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Drivers still experienced the highest Independence Day gas prices on record, with an average of $4.55 per gallon – $1.54 more than the price on last year's holiday, and 49 cents more per gallon than the previous record high of $4.06, set back on July 4, 2008.
Florida hit an all-time record average high of $4.89 a gallon on June 13. At this time last year, the average price was $3.01 a gallon.