AAA Calls High Gas Prices Unjustified

The American Automobile Assn., the biggest U.S. motorist organization, said that a recent jump in gasoline prices was unjustified and that makers of the fuel may be “close to” gouging motorists.

U.S. pump prices for regular gasoline averaged $1.605 a gallon as of Monday, up 10 cents from a week earlier and the highest since June 2001, the group said.

“We see nothing in the overall supply and demand picture to justify an increase of that magnitude,” a AAA spokesman said.