HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Gas prices in Virginia hit a new record high overnight, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. The price for a regular unleaded gallon in Virginia is now $4.77. The national average price is $4.95.
In Richmond, drivers can expect to spend $4.81 per gallon on average.
However, CBS 6 spotted several gas stations in Henrico County selling gasoline for a tenth of a penny less than $5.
The Shell station at Williamsburg Road and Robin Grey Lane was charging $4.99 for a gallon of unleaded gas on Wednesday morning, as was the BP gas station on Nine Mile Road.
Some of the lowest-priced gas in Henrico’s East End was available just a few blocks away from those gas stations with the highest prices.
Customers at the Fas Mart on Williamsburg Road were purchasing gasoline for $4.69.
Some drivers said these prices continue to impact their driving habits.
Angelia Elkins, a Chesterfield mother of three, said driving for the food delivery app Door Dash no longer makes financial sense.
She started delivering food part time about three years ago.
“It was a big moneymaker when I began. I made so much money,” Elkins said. “It was nice. I was able to make money just to go out and have fun with. Now, I DoorDash to try to survive. You're putting half your income from DoorDash and just right back into gas.”
Tony Brickhouse volunteers to drive his friends and neighbors to their medical appointments. But the senior citizens he drives are often struggling to throw him a few bucks for his time.
“I'm over at a senior citizen place and I drive people back and forth to the doctor's appointments and other things,” he said. “They can't even afford to give me $5 even take them over there.”
AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson Regina Ali advised we may not have any control over the price at the pump, but we can take measures to prolong the fuel already in our tank.
The rising price of crude oil is to blame for the increasing local gas prices, Ali said.
"That's being driven, in large part, because of the war with Russia and Ukraine and other geopolitical events, economic factors. But, primarily, it's crude oil, crude oil, crude oil," Ali said.
She shared more tips on how to conserve gasoline:
Get your vehicle checked out. Perform regular car maintenance at the intervals recommended by the vehicle manufacturer in the owner's manual or as indicated by the in-car maintenance reminder system. Did you delay regular maintenance during the pandemic because you were driving less? Now is the time to get it looked at. Find a AAA Approved Auto Repair Facility here.
Keep tires properly inflated. Under-inflated tires can decrease your gas mileage by approximately 3 percent. Not to mention, properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. Check pressure in all four tires every two weeks with an accurate, hand-held air pressure gauge.
Know your octane. Do not purchase mid-grade or premium gas unless your owner’s manual specifically recommends it. According to AAA research, Americans waste more than $2.1 billion annually on premium gas in vehicles designed to run on regular fuel. AAA found no benefit to using premium gas instead of regular-grade fuel. At the time of the study, 70% of U.S. drivers owned a vehicle that required only regular gasoline.
Avoid idling. Idling gets zero miles per gallon. Letting your vehicle idle for more than 10 seconds uses more gas than shutting it off and restarting. Don't start your car until you are ready to go. The engine actually warms up more quickly once the car is operating, and will stay warm after stopping. Avoid drive-up windows - park and go inside instead.
Observe the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.15 per gallon of gas. Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.
Consolidate trips. Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multi-purpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. With a little planning, you can avoid retracing your route and reduce the distance you travel as well. You'll not only save fuel, but also reduce wear and tear on your car.
Minimize drag. Drag reduces fuel efficiency. Driving with the windows open, using roof- or rear-mounted racks and carrying heavy loads increase vehicle drag. A roof rack or carrier provides additional cargo space and may allow you to meet your needs in a smaller, more fuel efficient car. However, a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent. Reduce aerodynamic drag and improve your fuel economy by using a removable rack and placing items inside the trunk whenever possible. Avoid carrying unnecessary items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by 1-2 percent
