Gas Prices Still Declining Around Arizona 
Gas prices are continuing a slight decline that we’ve seen for over a month. Triple-A Arizona says prices at the pump are down nearly four cents a gallon across the state from last week to $2.49 a gallon. In Flagstaff, gas is down about a cent-and-a-half to $2.67 a gallon. Some stations are selling gas for $2.55 a gallon and lower.
In Prescott, prices fell nearly five-cents a gallon from last week to $2.77 a gallon. Some stations are selling gas for $2.64 and lower. Officials say demand for gas shot up last week across the country, primarily due to the cold weather conditions in the Midwest and east as people filled up their tanks ahead of the polar vortex. High levels of gasoline stocks met the demand. However, if demand stays high, we could see recent dips at the pump level off.
“While oil prices have risen to their highest in months on the instability in Venezuela’s political situation, gasoline demand has remained weak and supply strong, thus keeping increases firmly in check,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “As the record gasoline supply continues to overshadow markets ahead of the road to summer gasoline, any updrafts at the pump will be small and limited for now, but once the transition begins, the supply overhang will be drawn down in short order as refiners liquidate winter gasoline, ushering in eventually higher prices come late-February and early March.”
Despite the current gas prices, most people want to use less gas to save them money, helping reduce pollution and improve energy security. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to improve your gas mileage or avoid using gas altogether including:
- Minimize idling your car by turning off your engine when your vehicle is parked for more than ten seconds. Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner use, adding up to three cents of wasted fuel a minute.
- In the winter, most manufacturers recommend driving off gently after about thirty seconds. The engine will warm up faster being driven, which will allow the heat to turn on sooner, decrease your fuel costs, and reduce emissions.
- Drive sensibly and avoid aggressive driving, such as speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking. Aggressive driving can lower your highway gas mileage by up to thirty percent and your city mileage by five percent.
- Avoid keeping heavy items in your car; an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could increase your gas costs by up to $.03 cents per gallon.
- Combine errands. Several short trips, each one taken from a cold start, can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
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