By Janet H. Cho
With gas prices averaging a whisker below $4 a gallon nationwide on Tuesday, drivers are wondering how high prices can go.
Turns out, higher than you think.
Some drivers in California, which currently has the nation's highest average gas prices, are seeing record highs of nearly $7 a gallon.
The national average price for a gallon of unleaded was $3.977 around noon Eastern time, up $1.03 a gallon from last month's average of $2.951, according to AAA.
GasBuddy's live price-tracker, compiled from more than 12 million price reports from 150,000 gas stations, says the national average is $3.984 a gallon. That's $1.01 higher than last month and 86 cents higher than a year ago.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, says it's looking increasingly likely that the national average will reach $4 a gallon this week, for the first time since 2022. "Diesel prices are surging to multi-year highs, with some markets nearing record territory, " he said.
The five states with the highest average gas prices are California ($5.807 a gallon); Washington ($5.265); Hawaii ($5.243); Oregon ($4.837); and Nevada ($4.796), according to GasBuddy.
Seasonal factors, combined with ongoing supply concerns tied to the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz, have pushed both gasoline and diesel prices sharply higher. "There are few signs of stabilization so far, as global oil prices continue to climb, and early indications suggest consumers may begin to pull back in response to the rapid pace of increases," De Haan said.
DoorDash on Monday began offering its drivers 10% cash back on gas purchases using its Crimson Visa debit cards, up from the usual 2% discount. It is also giving eligible drivers who drive 125 or more for deliveries a weekly fuel relief payment of $5 to $15 a week, for those who drive 250 miles or more per week.
"Dashers could save an estimated $1 to $1.50 a gallon from weekly payments alone, depending on how many miles they dash," the company said.
Write to Janet H. Cho at janet.cho@dowjones.com
This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 24, 2026 12:29 ET (16:29 GMT)
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