Gas prices are at an all-time high this year at the three-dollar mark and steadily approaching four dollars.
This is the highest gas has ever been for February since 2010.
The recent surge in prices has occurred in the past two weeks and is now on its way to breaking records for most expensive February of all time.
“Honestly … it sucks. I mean it’s hard enough right now with prices being so high for other things like bills, living expenses, tuitions,” said student Leslie Leyla. “And now we have worry about being able to pay for something so high that gets us to where we need to be every day.”
Research and studies show prices don’t usually rise until the late spring when the weather warms up and people travel more. As more gas is being consumed, companies increase their profits from the purchases, according to Visalia Times-Delta.
Now that oil reserves are becoming more and more scarce, companies are having no choice but to increase the overall prices for gas everywhere regardless of the time of year.
Now the search is on for a new alternative to replace oil.
While research is being done to find a new path, people are taking it upon themselves to find alternatives.
“I think that there’s a lot of things we can do right now to save on gas. You can do simple things like carpool or take the bus. If you want to really save though you can do things like ride a bike or even walk if it’s not that far. There are definitely ways around beating the gas prices,” said Hannah Grotier a student
The United States has the most cars per country, and California more specifically has the most cars per capita out of all the 50 states, according to the Statistics Portal.
For those that are forced to drive, measures are also being taken in order to ensure they’re getting the most out of their mileage.
Studies have also shown that simple steps can be taken to increase mile efficiency.
“Dude, there’s a bunch of stuff you can do to keep your car running smoothly, anyone can do it. Check your oil make sure it’s clean so there’s no restrictions, check your tire pressure, if your tires are flat you have to use more gas to get the tire to role. Check your brakes too because braking properly increases efficiency. Get your car regularly serviced so you can get the most out of it and not just gas but increase the longevity of it. Take care of your car and it’ll take care of you,” said Kevin Pacheco, a Delta student.
When asking about his large extent of mechanical knowledge whether or not he was an auto engineering major he simply stated: “No dude, I just own a car.”
