PANAMA CITY -- AAA officials say a recent surge in violence in Iraq caused the price of gasoline to rise in the Southeast over the last week.
Over the last seven days, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline climbed five cents in Florida and Tennessee and six cents in Georgia.
AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said although rising prices came to a halt over the weekend, unrest in Iraq likely will continue to influence prices this summer.
”Gas prices would typically be falling right now, but the conflict in Iraq is the main thing driving them higher,” Jenkins said. “Until a resolution is reached, prices could remain elevated throughout summer. However, there’s no reason to panic, as prices are still 10-15 cents cheaper than what we paid in February.”
While the U.S. imports little petroleum from Iraq, a recent surge in the price of oil forced a domino effect on the price of gasoline, Jenkins said, with higher prices for retailers that are then passed along to motorists.