Forecasters predict spike in gas prices

Metro Atlanta drivers could soon be facing a big jump in gas prices.

Forecaster GasBuddy's Annual Gasoline Price Outlook predicts prices of $4.25 per gallon for regular unleaded gas by Memorial Day. Bethany Gibson drives around 30 miles each way daily from her Decatur home to her job in Vinings.

"That’s a lot of money to spend per gallon," Gibson said. "The transit system isn’t set up such that we can get to work in an alteative method. We’re kind of having to pay that and take it, I guess."

Roger Tutterow is a professor of Economics at Mercer University. He told Channel 2's Amy Napier Viteri the price of crude oil has risen about 10 percent in the last three weeks alone. Much of that is due to instability in the Middle East and oil-rich Iran.

"I think it’s too early still to make that call. It is clear here in January oil prices themselves are at record levels for this time of the year," Tutterow said.

Gibson said if prices reach that level, she and co-workers will look to carpool in order to cut back. Other drivers, like Shawn Webster, said they will just have to deal with it.

"I don’t know if you really have a choice, and I don’t really know anyone who waits until the last minute to see what gas prices are to schedule their trips so you just have to deal with it," he added.

Tutterow said extreme highs in gas prices can be bad for the general economy as people look to cut spending in other areas. "I would say we would eat out less, date night is a few times less a month I would say," Gibson said.