OHIO — While it’s no secret that the price at the gas pump has jumped nationwide, Ohioans are facing the largest increases.
As of Tuesday, Ohio had the largest increase in gas prices nationwide, with the cost up 10 cents per gallon from the previous week. Nationally, the average prices of a gallon of regular gas increased 4 cents.
While Ohio saw a steep jump at the pump, gas is still cheaper in Ohio compared to the rest of the U.S. On average, a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $3.334, approximately 20 cents cheaper than the national average, according to AAA. The average gallon of regular gas has increased 30 cents in Ohio over the last month, and 70 cents from a year ago.
AAA notes that decrease gas demand during the winter generally results in lower prices, but higher worldwide crude oil prices continue to keep costs elevated.
While gas prices aren’t quite to record levels, tension between the United States and Russia due to the crisis in Ukraine has experts concerned the price will continue to climb.
“Russia is one of the leading oil producers globally, behind only the United States and Saudi Arabia,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “And if they choose to withhold their oil from the global market, such a move would eventually be reflected in higher gas prices for American drivers.”