Gas prices have risen dramatically over the last four decades, and so the recent spike in prices isn’t necessarily surprising – but it’s still painful to student pocketbooks.

Just 40 years ago, gas was 36 cents per gallon. Now, prices have crept over $4 per gallon – a 1,000 percent increase.

The recent price increases have been attributed to the drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities. The U.S. gets a great deal of its oil from Saudi Arabia, so when the attack hit, gas prices were impacted greatly. 

The west coast is especially getting hit hard with this increase in prices because it imports the most oil from Saudi Arabia. 

A lot of drivers, including Granite Bay High School students, are concerned about how much they are currently having to pay for gas.

“I have to pay for my own gas, and my Jeep uses so much gas, it is so expensive already,” senior Cole Phillips said. “It basically uses all of my money and then I do not have a (lot) of money (left) for anything else.”

The rise in gas prices has also affected how often people drive and how far they are willing to drive, knowing that they will be paying a large amount for their gas.

“I try to carpool a lot more now because (my friends and I) are all trying to save as much gas as possible,” Phillips said. “But at the end of the day, I need to get where I need to go.”

Even people outside of Granite Bay have trouble with the thought of paying an extensive amount of money for their gas. 

“It makes me more aware of where I am driving, and if I really need to drive there because of how high the gas prices are,” said Kylee Cardoza, a senior at Sacramento State University.

For people who need to drive long distances just to get to work, their long commute contributes to an even more extensive amount of spending on gas.

“Gas prices are hard because I have to drive so far to work,” GBHS parent Tamara Oliveira said. “Then I hit traffic in the morning and afternoon, it can easily be a 30-45 minute drive to work.”

Cardoza’s commute is painful when she has to go to the gas pump, too.

“I have to drive 30 miles each way to work, which I have definitely seen has taken an impact in my bring-home pay,” Cardoza said.

Some people have adapted to the rise in prices by using different strategies to try to save money on gas.

“Every week I make sure that I stop at Safeway because I can use my points,” Oliveira said. “Sometimes I can get up to 80 cents off per gallon.”

Oliveira’s expense report for gas has noticeably gotten higher from August to October. 

The state average gas price in California jumped to $4.10 per gallon in the past two weeks.

 This rise in gas prices has definitely impacted a lot of people, not just in Granite Bay, but all across California. Many are hoping this is a short term issue and that prices will go back down again quickly.

“Gas was cheap when I first started driving,” Oliveira said. “It was only 86 cents per gallon. And now I am spending about $73 a tank.”