Good News for Your Summer Road Trip

Not since 2009 have we seen the gas prices that industry experts are expecting this summer driving season—but in a good way. Per a US Energy Department forecast, gas will cost an average of $2.45 for a gallon of regular between April and September, typically the nation's busiest driving season, the Los Angeles Times reports. That's almost a third less than the $3.59 from the same period a year ago. Part of the drop is driven by an abundance of US petroleum this year, with the cost per barrel of crude oil expected to fall from $107 last summer to just $58 this summer. "We're on pace to have one of the lowest-priced summer driving seasons in a while," says an analyst.

The only state that may lag behind on cheap gas is California, where a nationwide worker strike and facility explosion marred workflow at two major refineries. Even so, the government is expecting the West Coast price-per-gallon to fall from last summer's average of $3.93 to $2.82, per the Times. Another possible development that could cause gas prices to drop even more: sanctions against Iran being lifted if a final nuclear agreement is reached, the Times notes. (Gas dropped below $2 a gallon a few months ago).