Gas Prices Continue to Skyrocket: Are You Cutting Down?

Average gas prices in the Bay Area have skyrocketed in the past month, jumping by 51 cents to $4.41 per gallon, according to a report released this week by AAA.

According to our gas and traffic page, fed by MapQuest, it can be had cheaper in Pacifica, but not by much.

The best price for regular gas in our seaside town is $4.36 at the

The highest price for regular gas, according to MapQuest, is at Highway 1 and Linda Mar Boulevard at $4.42 a gallon, just one cent above the Bay Area average. 

The increase in Bay Area gas prices outpaces the jump in average prices nationwide; AAA officials said that across the country, gas prices rose by 30 cents, to $3.81 per gallon, from February to March.

The region's average gas price is slightly higher than the state's, which is $4.36 per gallon.

AAA officials, who monitor the prices as a service to consumers, say increased buying activity by investors in oil and gas futures and political tensions with Iran have pushed prices upward.

San Francisco is among the cities with the highest average prices in the Bay Area at $4.43 per gallon, while Vallejo is among the lowest in the region at $4.31, according to AAA.

The high prices come despite dropping demand for oil — a U.S. Department of Energy report released last week found that the nation was using 8.36 million barrels a day, the lowest rate since March 2001.

How are you coping with the increase in gas prices? Are you cutting down on driving? Carpooling more? Riding your bike or the bus? Tell us in the comments. 

— Bay City News contributed to this report.