Motorists across the nation and in Virginia will have paid more on average this year than ever before for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline.
The national average price for gas is close to $3.52 per gallon with Virginia's average through Wednesday at a record high $3.41.
"As analysts look at everything from economic indicators and global developments to the most popular movies and photos of the year, motorists simply look at how they will continue to put gas in their cars in 2012," said Martha Mitchell Meade, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
"The average family in Virginia is predicted to have spent $4,544 on gas in 2011 as compared to $3,713 in 2010, an increase of $841 in just one year."
Although the yearly average price hit a record high in Virginia, the actual price Wednesday was 18 cents lower than it was Nov. 1.
Nationally, the price was 21 cents lower Wednesday than at the beginning of November.
Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, which provides daily fuel price data to AAA, predicts that current lower prices will continue through year's end and into January, when they will likely hit their lowest when demand is typically low.
But Kloza predicted that prices could go up a full $1 in the spring from the lows in January.
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