US Gasoline Prices Projected to Hit $2.03 by December

U.S. gasoline prices are projected to fall through the end of the year to almost $2 a gallon — but California drivers won’t be so fortunate.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said Wednesday that low oil prices and the end of the summer driving season will continue to propel a decline in gasoline prices nationwide.

AAA reported the current national average for a gallon of regular gasoline at $2.38. In California, the state average was $3.25, and the Los Angeles region was at $3.45 a gallon.

Marie Montgomery, a spokeswoman for the Automobile Club Southern California, said area consumers can find per-gallon prices as low as $2.99 at individual gas stations.

“You really do want to shop around right now,” she said. “You can see a 40- to 50-cent difference in price.”