The cost of driving has skyrocketed over the past week, according to the latest AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
The average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded in Illinoishas topped the $2.00 mark after the steepest increases of the year. The state average is $2.06, 18 cents higher than last Monday. It's 50 cents higher than a month ago, but still cheaper than it was this time last year, when it was $2.37 a gallon.
The national average shot up 12 cents a gallon, to $1.93.
Rockford drivers are looking at a 17 cent increase, to $1.94 per gallon.
The cheapest gas in the state, on average, is in the Peoria-Pekin market, at $1.87.
The reasons behind the steep increase, according to analysts at gasbuddy.com are a 45% increase in crude oil prices over the past month and a smaller supply of gasoline from refineries. They're performing seasonal maintenance and transitioning to summer gasoline formulas.
