Gas prices have  increased 6 cents in the last 7 days. This is the 8th consecutive week of gas price increases. The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gas in the US is $3.66, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report and Oil Price Information Service, in cooperation with Wright Express on April 4, 2011.

One week ago, the national average was $3. 58. One year ago the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gas in the US was $2.82, which is  84 cents less than today’s price.

The US average for a gallon of diesel gas is currently at $3.98, a 2.5 cent increase from one week ago.

California has the highest gas prices in the continental US. In California, the state average for a gallon of unleaded regular gas is $4.06. The average price for diesel fuel in California is $4.42.

Wyoming has the lowest gas prices in the country, where unleaded fuel is currently $3.41 per gallon. Hawaii has the highest prices in the US, where the average price for a gallon of unleaded is $4.31.

State gas prices have spiked by 22 percent in the first three months of the year and are 30 percent higher than a year ago at this time, primarily because world events have prompted heavy investments in gasoline and oil futures, crude oil and wholesale gasoline, according to AAA of  Southern California.