Gas Prices Drop Sharply In Last Week

Motorists are finally beginning to see the benefit of the big drop in crude oil prices, along with the softening demand for fuel. Consumers have seen prices come down significantly in the last seven days.

The national average price of self-serve regular today is $3.445, down from $3.540 last Friday, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Survey. That's about 17 cents a gallon less than a month ago.

The average price of diesel fuel today is $3.835 per gallon, down from $3.877 a week ago.

Gas prices fell amid weakening demand. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports oil imports fell 6.3 percent in July. But demand was down more than four percent.

Once again this week, the most expensive gasoline was found in states clustered in the north west.

The states with the most expensive gasoline today are:

• Hawaii ($4.244)
• Alaska ($3.976)
• California ($3.856)
• Washington ($3.845)
• Oregon ($3.798)
• Connecticut ($3.768)
• New York ($3.761)
• Idaho ($3.735)
• North Dakota ($3.668)
• Montana ($3.664)

The states with the least expensive gas this week are:

• South Carolina ($3.183)
• Missouri ($3.175)
• Tennessee ($3.247)
• Texas ($3.261)
• Louisiana ($3.272)
• Oklahoma ($3.279)
• Virginia ($3.298)
• Arkansas ($3.319)
• Mississippi ($3.301)
• Alabama ($3.316)