Road trip: C.O. gas prices up 65 cents in past year

As summer inches closer, gas prices in Central Oregon are inching higher.

Prices have been steadily rising over the last few weeks, and it’s over 60 cents more expensive than last year at this time, although still a whole $1 cheaper than a decade ago, in June 2008.

Oil-producing countries are putting upward pressure on prices, as are rising tensions in the Middle East. With the U.S. producing more of its own oil, however, experts say we’re going to see prices stabilize.

“I think the outlook for the summer months is that gas prices should start to settle down a little bit, and we’re starting to see the first signs,” AAA Oregon and Idaho Director of Public Affairs Marie Dodds said Tuesday. “When we look at the last week, gas prices are up week over week, but they’ve held pretty steady and even come down just a little bit over the long Memorial Day weekend.”

Gas prices in Oregon, along with those for the entire West Coast, are well above the national average, placing fifth-highest in the country. But prices are rising in only two places in Oregon: Portland and the Bend metro area.

“We tend to see higher gas prices in areas that are very popular with tourists,” Dodds said. “Of course, Bend and Central Oregon are one of the prime destinations for Oregonians and people from around the U.S. and, really, people from around the world.”

You can check the latest citizen-reported gas prices on the High Desert at our Pump Patrol page.

Summer brings ‘deadliest days for teen drivers’

Dodds also mentioned an AAA campaign called “100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers.”

Those days are between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when most high schoolers and college students are out for summer. The number of crashes involving teenagers usually spikes during this time, so AAA is trying to raise awareness about it.

The numbers show that, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the number of fatal crashes involving teens nationwide is 1,050, on average. Dodds said the best way to cut into that number is by having your teenager follow your lead.

“If you’re a parent of that teen driver, you want to set an example for that teen driver,” Dodds said. “Buckle up. Follow the speed limit. Don’t be on your own phone while you’re driving. Ditch the other distractions.”

The numbers on fatal crashes during those 100 days are 14 percent higher than during the rest of the year, and it averages out to 10 per day, with 36 percent of those crashes happening between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.