Imagine it’s negative 10 degrees outside, and you’re stranded. You were on your way to finally do something with your friends to have a good time. You’ve been stressed about balancing school and your job. You struggle and stress most about if you’re gonna be able to afford your next tank of gas. You managed to pay for your car insurance, gas and car maintenance, but you’ve been avoiding filling it up again. Now you’re out of gas. You’re almost to your friends house and you’re stuck on the side of the road.

Gas Prices Hitting Record Highs

You may have noticed that gas prices lately are higher than what you’d like them to be. Students, more than most struggle to be able to pay for the essential things like gas. Especially over this last summer, when gas prices were all the way up to $4.923/gallon as of August 12th, 2022. 

What caused the Gas Prices to Rise the way the did?

There are many arguments to the debate of how gas prices rose during the summer of 2022. Including The presidential election, inflation, or the war in Ukraine. The reason is largely because of tight supply and increased demand in gas. Such as in 2020 when the gas price lowered to an average, “$2.17 per gallon,” says the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This was because of a low demand on gas, caused by businesses and organizations closing down.

Paying for Cars and Gas

Just like any age, we’re not going to get these years back. Many consider their teenage years to be the best of their lives and feel as if they are limited to what they can do because they don’t want to pay for gas. Peyton Wanta, a junior at SPASH feels this struggle, she feels like she cannot go anywhere or do fun things because she wants to avoid using up gas. She splits the price of filling up the tank with her parents, considering she is expected by her parents to drive her sister around places. Even with that being said, it shows how much gas prices have sky rocketed and negatively affect drivers, especially teens. Lake Glodowski, a junior at SPASH pays for 100% the gas when filling the tank. He among other students stresses and works hard to be able to pay his parents back for his car. He does his parents favors many days of the week and drives his siblings places and is still expected by his parents to pay for gas. While still working to pay back his dad for the car until it’s completely paid for.

How does our Parents make a Difference?

A survey among SPASH students (46 participants) shows that 23.9% of students have their car paid for by their parents. As well as exactly 23.9% of students paid for it themselves, (some paid/are paying monthly). Results show that majority of students who didn’t pay for their car, pay for their car maintenance and/or gas. Most teenagers are on their parents insurance plans. Some students pay for their part, or a portion of it. More than 50 percent of students said they pay for their car maintenance themselves. Only 8.7% of students don’t pay for their gas ever. 

Gas Prices going back down

To the relief of students, gas prices are lowering by the day. The average for Wisconsin gas prices is even less than what it was last year at this time. Maybe next time it’s negative 10 degrees and you’re off to hang out with your friends, you’ll have a full tank of gas, and no check engine light.