U.S. gasoline prices have surged past 2009 highs as winter storms and speculative investor money sent oil prices higher. In less than one month, crude prices have soared 20 percent, and on Wednesday they peaked above last year"s high, raising gasoline prices to new 15-month highs. With the national average price of a gallon (3.8 liters) of gasoline just under $2.71, a typical driver using 50 gallons (190 liters) of fuel a month will pay about $135. Last year at this time, consumers were paying only about $85 per month. Americans are now spending about $1 billion a day on gasoline, with most paying 90 cents to a dollar more per gallon than they did a year ago. Gasoline in some coastal cities is already at or near $3, and many energy experts believe that most of the country will see higher prices this spring as refiners switch to less polluting blends of gasoline, as required by U.S. law.
