ATLANTA — The average price of gas in Georgia has gone up at least four cents between Tuesday and Wednesday. People filling up at the QuikTrip in Sidney Marcus Boulevard in Atlanta say it's the harsh reality they're learning to live with.
"It hurts my feelings because vegas prices have gotten so high but you still gotta do what you gotta do," Lynn Lewis said when she was filling up.
Like countless other drivers, Lewis really felt the price difference when filling up her car Wednesday afternoon.
"Last week it maybe 65, today it’s $72.41," he said.
Georgia's average of $4.39 is still below the national average of $4.91. Experts project the national average will reach five dollars in a matter of days.
Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said the reason for the sticker shock is due to a number of reasons, all of them long term.
"The Russian invasion of Ukraine has driven up oil," De Haan said. That doesn't seem to be going anywhere. And so from that, I do expect oil prices to remain high this summer."
The loss of several oil refineries due to COVID-19 has also impacted the price of gas.
"There's less ability to produce gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel that the market needs. That's also not a short-term fix.," De Haan said. You can't build a refinery overnight, and with this administration, it would be next to impossible to build one."
He also pointed out that the suspension of the gas tax in Georgia is helping keep the price below the national average. He warns drivers should still look for ways to be more fuel-efficient.