Since mid-February, gas prices have reached a record high all around the United States, up more than 20 cents a gallon in the first month.

California gas prices have reached four dollars, which is currently the highest price in the country, according to gas price watching site Gasbuddy.

“I don’t even want to drive anymore,” said Abdallah Bangura, a 23-year-old digital marketing major. “It just costs so much that there is no point in leaving the house anymore. I won’t have enough money to go out anyway.”

Gas price increases can be attributed to three reasons: A transition to summer gasoline, midwestern flooding and rising oil prices, according to an article published on April 27 by Oil Price.   

Summer gas is different than winter gas because the winter blends for gas is cheaper to produce than summer gas because of evaporation rates of gasoline. Gasoline vapors contribute to smog, so the gas gets seasonally regulated, according to an article by The American Automobile Association.

“I didn’t know there was a difference between summer gas and winter gas, but it makes sense,” said Amira Affif, a 21-year-old behavioral science major. “When it’s summer you want to be outside, and you can’t be outside if the air is bad, so it makes sense.”

Oil prices have risen monumentally since the start of the 2019 year, in fact, the oil prices have gone up 37 percent from January to now, according to the CNBC article.

Michael Blasky, a spokesman for AAA Northern California, released a statement that said because of oil refinery issues, Northern California is way over the price where it would be, when the national average that the public is supposed to pay is 70 cents to a dollar more.

Affif said that she tries to look around at other gas stations to find a lower or more affordable price, but everywhere is the same.

“When I first came to the states I only paid $30 to fill up my gas tank,” said 32-year-old mathematics major Angel Mande. “And now I pay $50, and it will only get higher.”

April, May and June is typically when the gas prices are the highest, because of the summer travel season, and as the public demands more, the prices will only increase, according to Oil Price.

“I think the prices of oil has stabilized around this range this much this year,” said Taner Osman, a Research Manager at Beacon Economics. “I don’t anticipate it going higher this year.”