Ahead of one of the busiest holidays of the year for car travel, Floridians headed on the road to families' for Thanksgiving will find the lowest gas prices of 2023.
Sunday's average price of $3.04 per gallon is 15 cents less than a week ago and the lowest daily average price since late December 2022. It's also 37 cents less than what drivers paid last Thanksgiving ($3.41), AAA reports.
Locally, Osceola County's average is under the $3 at $2.96. That's down over 17 cents in a week.
"More than half of Florida gas stations now have gasoline priced below $3 a gallon," said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. "While there could be some fluctuations in the coming weeks, AAA expects gas prices to remain low through the holidays, unless oil prices suddenly spike."
The plummeting price of oil has been a big contributor to the recent plunge at the pump, AAA says. Crude oil fell from $93 a barrel in late September to $72 last week. During that same time, the state average dropped 65 cents.
While this news may inspire you to hit the road ... don't do it while impaired. AAA projects the third-busiest Thanksgiving on record, with an estimated 49.1 million Americans forecast to take to the road -- and combining cocktails with crowded roads can be deadly. So AAA will activate its Tow to Go program, in its 25th year, on Wednesday night through the holiday weekend.
When called upon at (855) 2-TOW-2-GO, The Auto Club Group dispatches a tow truck to transport the driver and vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius for free. Since its inception, Tow to Go has kept more than 25,000 impaired drivers from the road. Tow to Go will be active and offering free confidential rides available to AAA members and non-members.
Appointments cannot be scheduled in advance to use Tow to Go, AAA said. It is designed as a safety net for those that did not plan ahead. Always choose a designated driver before your holiday events. In some situations, AAA may need to make other arrangements to get an impaired individual a safe ride home, and it may not be available in rural areas or during severe weather conditions.
