Gas prices in LA rise for 3rd week in a row; prices are at highest level since November

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gas in Los Angeles county has one up for the 21st consecutive day.

The hike in gas prices comes at a time when families are coming back from spring break and beginning to plan their summer vacations.

"I think the last time I remember filling up, I think that was two weeks ago or a week ago, was probably 50 cents cheaper, or close to 50 cents cheaper. I don't know if that tracks, but at least in my area, it's a lot more expensive here," said Nate, a Carson resident.

The average price is more than 17 cents compared to a week ago, and more than 39 cents compared to a month ago.

"A month ago, the average gas price for this time was about $4.94. Today, we're seeing it at $5.33. That's a big increase within such a short amount of time," said Gianella Ghiglino, spokesperson with AAA.

This can put a damper on some plans this summer for families. AAA says the high prices are normal for this time of year.

"During this time of year, that's actually very common, so we see more families going out for the spring break, so that increases the demand. There is a lot of people on the road as it gets warmer. Also, the blend for the summer is more expensive, so that's typically why gas prices increase during this time of year as well," Ghiglino said.

While there's not an exact time frame for when we can see prices start to drop, there are things you can do to save money like carpool, shop around for the best price and make sure your car is well maintained.