FL Among Top 10 In U.S. For Largest Weekly Drop In Gas Prices: AAA

FLORIDA — Florida ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for the largest decrease in gas prices this week, according to AAA. The Sunshine State saw an 11-cent drop Tuesday in the average price per gallon at the pump.

AAA said Florida gas prices declined through the Independence Day holiday weekend, even as a record number of Americans were forecast to take road trips.

Other states saw a drop in prices at the pump, too. Down 13 cents in a week, Texas and Delaware tied for the biggest drop in gas prices nationwide, AAA said.

These states also saw the largest decrease at the pump this week: Arizona (−12 cents), Illinois (−12 cents), Indiana (−12 cents), Ohio (−12 cents), South Carolina (−11 cents), Virginia (−11 cents) and Maryland (−10 cents).

The gas tax in Florida is 19 cents per gallon. It’s the seventh-lowest in the country, according to IGEN data.

A one-month tax holiday on fuel will go into effect Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 in the Sunshine State. It's expected to save Floridians $200 million by lowering the price of gas by 25.3 cents per gallon.

The national average for a gallon of gasoline Thursday fell to $4.75, down 11 cents over the past week.

According to AAA, the main reason for the drop in gas prices is lower demand at the pump as fewer people fueled up over the past two weeks. The decline, however, could end with the arrival of the summer driving season.

“Domestic gasoline demand dipped recently, which took some of the pressure off of pump prices. About 80 percent of stations are now selling regular for under $5 a gallon,” Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, said in a news release. “But July is typically the heaviest month for demand as more Americans hit the road, so this trend of easing prices could be short-lived.”

Floridians are paying on average $4.49 at the pump for regular unleaded gas as of Thursday, according to AAA. That's three cents less than Wednesday and 28 cents less than a month ago.