8 ON YOUR SIDE: National gas prices now average above $4 a gallon
8 ON YOUR SIDE (WAKA) – U.S. gas prices jumped past an average of $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022, but prices in Alabama are still well below that mark.
Prices are rising worldwide due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
AAA says the national average for a gallon of regular is $4.01. The last time U.S. drivers were collectively paying this much at the pump was nearly four years ago, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The price is a national average, meaning drivers in some states have been paying well over $4 a gallon for a while now. Prices vary from state to state due to factors ranging from nearby supply to differing tax rates.
In Alabama, AAA says the average is $3.67 a gallon. Prices have been rising more slowly in recent days. While today’s average is three cents higher than yesterday, it’s only four cents higher than a week ago.
A month ago, regular averaged $2.64 a gallon, according to AAA.
The highest-ever average price for regular in Alabama was $4.63, which happened in June 2022.
Since the U.S. and Israel launched the operation against Iran on Feb. 28, the cost of crude oil — the main ingredient in gasoline — has spiked and swung rapidly. That’s because the conflict has caused deep supply chain disruptions and cuts from major oil producers across the Middle East.
Motorists around the world are also coping with higher gas prices. In Paris, for example, gas is about $10.27 a gallon.
Higher gas prices are impacting consumers and businesses as many households continue to face wider cost of living strains. And as drivers pay more to cover necessities like gas, or even utility bills impacted by soaring fuel costs, many may be forced to cut their budgets in other places.
Beyond visits to the pump, analysts point to groceries, which have to be restocked frequently and could also see price hikes as businesses’ transportation and packaging costs pile up. Hauling other cargo and packages has also been impacted. The U.S. Postal Service, for example, is seeking a temporary 8% added charge on some of its popular products including Priority Mail.
U.S. diesel prices — the fuel used for many freight and delivery trucks — is now going for an average of $5.45 a gallon, up from about $3.76 a gallon before the conflict began, per AAA.
In a search for some relief, the International Energy Agency pledged to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency stockpiles of member nations.
The U.S., which is a net oil exporter, hasn’t seen as stark a shock as other parts of the world that rely more heavily on fuel imports from the Middle East, notably Asia. But that doesn’t mean America is immune to price spikes.
(Copyright 2026 The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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