Auto Club: Gas Prices Drop For Fifth Straight Week

Southern California gas prices have now been dropping for five straight weeks, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.34, which is four cents lower than a week ago and 36 cents lower than a year ago today. The average national price is $3.02, which is one cent lower than a week ago.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.39 per gallon, which is three cents less than last week and 42 cents less than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.47, which is four cents less than last week and 37 cents lower than this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.40, which is three cents lower than last week and 43 cents lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.28, which is two cents lower than last week and 37 cents lower than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.30 average price is two cents less than last week and 56 cents lower than a year ago today.

"Oil Price Information Service reports that higher inventories of gasoline in Southern California are continuing to put downward pressure on prices," said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe. "A couple of Southern California gas stations are now posting pump prices under $3.50 for regular unleaded."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Dec. 12, averages are: