Gas Prices Expected To Go Up In 2012

SIOUX FALLS, SD - Prices at South Dakota gas stations are hovering around $3.20 for a gallon of unleaded.

But it wasn't too long ago that some blends dipped below $3 a gallon.

"I didn't expect it to ever go down that low again, I always thought it'd be up by four dollars by now," driver Lindsey Gibbons said.

Even with the recent increase, South Dakotans are still paying a dime less than drivers in other states.

"The national average is starting to creep back up, and here in South Dakota we've held fairly steady but crude is now over $100 per barrel again and what we're seeing is prices at the pump at least nationwide starting to track a little more closely with those crude prices," Mark Madeja with AAA said.

Typically after the new year gas prices go up, but we've seen prices stay pretty stable the past few months, but those prices are expected to go up.

Prices are already 20 cents higher than a year ago. If the trend continues, we're on track for another record year.

"We paid more in 2011 for gasoline than we have in any other year on record, obviously consumers aren't happy about that," Madeja said.

But most drivers will pay the price.

"I'm not that responsible with my driving and spending at the same time, I'm gonna drive and I'm going to spend the money and if I go broke it's gonna affect other areas, the economy, going shopping, going to stores," driver Phillip Vetter said.

So for now drivers will have to fill their wallets, in case the price goes up to fill their tank.