ATLANTA, Ga. — Rising gas prices are forcing many metro Atlanta drivers to think twice before getting behind the wheel.
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Whether it’s commuting to work, running errands or squeezing in one last summer getaway, drivers told Channel 2 Action News they’re changing their habits as prices at the pump continue to rise.
“I literally plan my route based on which gas station has the lowest prices sometimes,” driver Adjente Burgess said. “Honestly, it’s come down to the cents—70 cents, 90 cents, $4.”
According to GasBuddy, a free mobile app and website that helps drivers find the cheapest local gas prices, the average price of regular gasoline in metro Atlanta rose 18.2 cents over the past week to $3.94 a gallon.
That’s nearly 40 cents higher than a month ago and more than $1 higher than this time last year.
Across Georgia, the average price is $3.90 a gallon, while the national average has climbed to $4.06, according to GasBuddy.
Some drivers said they’re already cutting back.
“I am, I really am,” Dwight Calbert said when asked if he was worried prices would keep climbing. “So I may have to Uber or stay home.”
Others said they’re trying to drive less whenever possible.
“I don’t notice it as much because I’m retired, and I try to do as little driving as possible,” driver Oral Moses said.
For Burgess, the higher prices are changing plans to leave the house.
“I’ve stopped going out a lot because you’ve got to pay for gas, you have to pay to park, you have to pay to get in,” Burgess said. “At that point, I’d rather stay home and have a good time at home.”
GasBuddy says the recent spike is being driven by higher crude oil prices and ongoing instability in the Middle East, including tensions involving Iran, renewed attacks in the Red Sea and strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.
Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, said prices increased in nearly every state over the past week.
While easing tensions over the weekend caused oil prices to fall, he said drivers should still expect gas prices to remain elevated in the near future, with future increases depending on global events.
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