Auto Club: Gas Prices on Three-Month Hike; No Shortage Foreseen

    LOS ANGELES--March 21, 2003--Gasoline prices continued rising last week for the 12th straight week, with many areas posting new record highs, according to the Weekend Gas Watch, compiled by the Automobile Club of Southern California.
    With the outbreak of hostilities, the AAA assures motorists that there is ample gasoline supply to meet normal demand.
    Currently, the average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.165 per gallon, which is 6.3 cents higher than last week's price, 28 cents higher than last month and 66 cents higher than last year.
    In San Diego the price is $2.211, which is 6.3 cents higher than last week's level, 29 cents above last month and 64 cents higher than last year. Motorists in the central coast have an average price of $2.204, which is 7.3 cents above last week's price, 28 cents higher than last month and 64 cents higher than last year.
    "Consumers should be assured that despite the outbreak of hostilities in Iraq, our nation's gasoline supply is ample to meet our normal needs," Carol Thorp, spokesperson for the Automobile Club of Southern California said. "The AAA urges motorists to buy gas as they normally would. Panic buying is not only unnecessary, it can lead to artificial shortages and higher prices."
    The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips. Average prices as of 12:01 a.m., March 21:

Area                        Regular   Change from    Record Price
                                       last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach      $2.165     +6.3 cents   $2.166 (3/19/03)/a

San Diego                   $2.211     +6.3 cents   $2.148 (3/21/03)/a

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
Lompoc                      $2.204     +7.3 cents   $2.131 (3/14/03)/a

Las Vegas                   $2.047     +5.4 cents   $2.049 (3/19/03)/a

Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.         $1.993     +9.8 cents   $1.995 (3/19/03)/a

(a) New record