Gas prices surge past $4 in many parts of Pittsburgh area

PITTSBURGH — Gas prices continue to skyrocket, well surpassing $4 in many communities -- some by nearly 20 cents -- across the Pittsburgh area as of Friday morning.

Overnight, prices jumped another 13 cents, on average, as western Pennsylvania feels the impact of Russia invading Ukraine.

According to AAA, the average price per gallon for regular gasoline in Pittsburgh is $3.95, as of Friday morning. That’s up from the average of $3.82 just yesterday, and $3.67 a week ago.

“Instead of waiting so long to fill up, I’m filling up like $20 a day, $20 a day just so it’s not such a big expense all at one time,” driver Ray Westerman said on Thursday.

The highest-ever recorded gas price in Pittsburgh was in 2008 at $4.05 per gallon.

We are approaching that rate as crude oil barrels hit their highest price since that same year, according to AAA, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Russia is one of the top three oil producers in the world, only behind the United States and Saudi Arabia,” said Lynda Lambert, a spokesperson for AAA East Central.

Lambert added that while there’s no end in sight to the rising prices, you can make your gas go a little further.

“Responsible driving habits will go a long way to helping you conserve fuel,” she said. “Speeding is your worst enemy. When you speed, your car does not get the best gas mileage possible.”

Tips from AAA include:

• Slow down and drive the speed limit. On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.
• Reduce trips and lighten your load. Limit the amount of cargo in your vehicle when possible. Combine errands, and possibly aim to get all of your errands done on one day of the week. Also, consider using the more fuel-efficient vehicle in your household more often.
• Avoid “jackrabbit” starts and hard acceleration. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption. Accelerate smoothly with light to moderate throttle. This allows the automatic transmission to upshift into higher gears sooner, reducing engine rpm and saving fuel.
• Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine. Even in winter, idling, and warming up an engine are unnecessary and wastes fuel.
• Look ahead. When approaching a red light or stop sign, take your foot off the gas early and allow your car to coast down to a slower speed until it is time to brake.
• Use cruise control to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel. However, never use cruise control on wet roads because a loss of vehicle control could result.
• Take advantage of fuel savings programs.
• Keep tires properly inflated. Underinflation reduces fuel economy, but more importantly, tires low on air affect handling and braking, wear more rapidly and can overheat and blowout.
• Maintain the vehicle according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Regular maintenance will ensure optimum fuel economy, performance and longevity.
• Make all necessary repairs. Take the vehicle to a trusted repair facility as soon as possible if the “Check Engine” light comes on.

How the Russia-Ukraine conflict could impact gas prices here in western Pennsylvania

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