Gasoline last cost less than that on December 22, 2010. If the AAA is right, the next thousand days will not see the price drop below $3.00 a gallon. Bob Darbelnet, president and CEO of the AAA, said:
Paying less than $3.00 per gallon for gasoline may be automotive history for most Americans, like using 8-track tapes or going to a drive-in movie.The reality is that expensive gas is here to stay, which is tough on millions of people who need a car to live their lives. While a few lucky drivers may occasionally pay less than $3.00 per gallon, the national average is likely to remain more costly into the future.
Since January, the national average price for a gallon of gasoline has been $3.57. That should come down in the final few months of the year as demand drops. The full-year average in 2012 was $3.60 a gallon, the highest cost on record, according to the AAA.
An average U.S. household spent more than $2,900 on gasoline in 2012, about 4% of pretax income.
Darbelnet noted:
Spending more on gas concerns consumers because it reduces savings and spending for everything else we need. Our leaders can help alleviate this economic burden by encouraging a national policy that stimulates production, limits price volatility, ensures greater efficiency and promotes alternative energy.
Some 46% of U.S. drivers think that more than $3.00 a gallon for gasoline is too much, AAA data show. When the price tops $3.50 a gallon, 62% think gasoline is too expensive. A full 90% believe $4.00 a gallon is too expensive. When gasoline prices are believed to be too high, 62% of Americans say they cope with higher fuel prices by changing their driving habits or lifestyle. It looks like more of us will be doing that in the future.
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