COLDWATER, Mich. (WLKI)-Michigan drivers are paying nearly 20 cents more per gallon than they were one week ago, according to AAA Michigan.
The statewide average for regular unleaded gasoline was $4.66 a gallon Sunday. That is 19 cents higher than last week, 35 cents higher than one month ago and $1.73 more than the statewide average at the same time last year.
Prices in the region are also above the state average in some areas. In Branch County, the average price was $4.72 a gallon, up 23 cents from a week ago. St. Joseph County's average was $4.56 per gallon, while Hillsdale County's average was reported at $4.62.
Across the state line, Indiana's average was $3.90 a gallon. Several stations in the area were selling gas for closer to $3.63 a gallon.
The national average stood at $4.35 per gallon.
Oil prices were slightly higher Sunday, at just over $92 per barrel. Higher crude oil prices often lead to increased gasoline prices because crude is the primary ingredient in gasoline.
AAA encourages drivers to compare prices between stations and use fuel-saving driving habits, including avoiding rapid acceleration and keeping tires properly inflated.