ATLANTA — Gas prices in Georgia are on the rise, now five cents higher than the week before, according to AAA’s gas price tracker.
In the past month, prices at the pump have gone up 22 cents, making a 15-gallon tank cost more than $45 to fill, on average, the company said in a Christmas Day release.
Compared to last year, AAA said Georgians are paying about $5 more to fill up than they did last year. The state average on Christmas Day was $3.01 per gallon for unleaded gasoline.
AAA said one reason gas prices are going up is conflict in the Middle East.
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“The upward trend in crude oil prices, and attacks on ships in the Red Sea caused gas prices to increase across the country,” said Montrae Waiters, AAA-The Auto Club Group spokeswoman. “This is not the news Georgians wanted to hear ahead of the new year, but unless wholesale gasoline prices change course and drop considerably, pump prices may continue to rise.”
Despite the overall trend upward, Georgia gas prices are still lower than the national average of $3.12.
In the Atlanta metro area, prices are highest in Fulton County, according to AAA’s tracker. The county’s average gallon of gas is costing drivers $3.16.
Still, Fulton County gas prices aren’t the worst.
In Georgia, the highest gas prices are in Treutlen County, where they have a reported $3.22 per gallon, while the lowest is right at the Tennessee border in Dade County at $2.81 per gallon.
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