The Memorial Day weekend is the beginning of the summer driving season, and — not coincidentally — often a high point in the annual ups and downs of gas prices. This year, almost 37 million drivers hit the road and faced the highest fuel costs since 2014. The national average price for a gallon of unleaded gas was $2.97, up $0.60 from Memorial Day 2017. The price in California, the most expensive state for gasoline, averaged $3.74 per gallon.1
Prices at the pump eased off a little in June, but motorists can expect an expensive summer behind the wheel. If you’re like most consumers, you may feel that you’re playing gas-price roulette every time you fill the tank. Why are prices so volatile? And why is the trend so much higher now than last year?