By Henry Luzzatto

Correspondent

Despite increased demand due to beach trips and family vacations, gas prices have, surprisingly, been hitting a new low in the summer. According to press releases by the AAA of Tidewater and analysts at GasBuddy, gas prices going into August have been at a nationwide four-year low.

According to the Tidewater AAA, gas prices fell consistently throughout July in Hampton Roads, ending the month at $3.40 per gallon, a 15-cent drop in prices since last year. Prices on Monday were event lower, with regular unleaded gas available at $3.25 a gallon at some Suffolk outlets.

According to the AAA and GasBuddy, the decline in prices is largely due to the increased production of oil refineries in America.

“It surprises me,” said C.W. Wiggins, a Suffolk native, noting the drop in gas prices coincides with conflicts in oil-supplying countries. Others shared his sentiment, worrying that conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine would cause prices to rise again.

“I think they’ll be going up and up while the wars keep going,” said Theresa McKenzie, who spoke as her husband filled the car with fuel. “But I don’t pay too much attention,” she joked. “My husband doesn’t let me drive much.”

Whatever the reason prices are down, drivers are not complaining, and they are taking advantage of the lower prices while they are available. Both Wiggins and McKenzie referred to the drop as “a fluke,” adding they believe prices will probably go back up.

Mike Cox, a salesman, agreed.

“Gas prices are always a fluke,” he said. Cox added that, in spite of political and military conflicts, the drop does not really surprise him. “Those places all supply crude. It doesn’t limit the refineries,” he said.

Still others believe the change in prices is less dependent on politics, and more on the market itself. “Oil is one of those things that drives demand,” Gregory Cole said while filling up his car. “It’s all supply and demand.”

Though opinions and ideas differ about the reasons for the price drop, drivers seemed to be in agreement that Suffolk is the place to go for gasoline. Cole also said there is a big difference between prices in Suffolk and other cities in Virginia.

“A lot of people compare [our prices] to Chesapeake and Portsmouth,” said Alison Pugh, a gas station worker at the Supreme on North Main Street. “And it’s usually a favorable comparison.”