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In the midst of this month's statewide disaster from deadly winter weather, gas prices have been going up during the month of February.

According to this week's AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch, the average price of regular unleaded is $2.40 statewide. The price went up 6% this week, a 16 cent increase. This week's national average is $2.68 a gallon, up 11 cents from last week.

AAA Texas notes that Odessa has the highest average price in the state at $2.58 per gallon, an increase of 17 cents from last week.

Across the rest of West Texas, Lubbock's average price is $2.38 a gallon, up 18 cents from last week. Amarillo's average price went up 15 cents to $2.35 a gallon, but it's still the second lowest average in the state. Abilene's average price is currently $2.45 a gallon, San Angelo's is $2.41 a gallon, and Wichita Falls' average price went up 20 cents last week to $2.37 a gallon.

"Refineries are recovering from last week’s wicked weather,” said AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster. “Still, with demand reportedly down and fuel supplies healthy, gasoline prices are likely to rise for several days to come in the wake of the storm’s impact to production.”

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Drivers in Texas are paying some of the cheapest prices at the pump, ranking 3rd lowest in the country, according to AAA's gasprices.aaa.com.

AAA Texas Fuel Saving Tips

  • Slow down and drive the speed limit. On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.
  • Avoid “jackrabbit” starts and hard acceleration. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption.
  • Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine, even in winter. It’s unnecessary and wastes fuel.
  • When driving in town, adjust your speed to “time” the traffic lights. This reduces repeated braking and acceleration that consume additional fuel.
  • When approaching a red light or stop sign, take your foot off the gas early and allow your car to coast down to a slower speed until it is time to brake.
  • Accelerate smoothly with light to moderate throttle. This allows the automatic transmission to upshift into higher gears sooner, reducing engine rpm and saving fuel.
  • Use cruise control to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel. However, never use cruise control on slippery roads because a loss of vehicle control could result.
  • Try to minimize your use of air conditioning.
  • Plan ahead to accomplish multiple errands in one trip, and whenever possible travel outside high-traffic times of day.

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