In San Jose, the illuminated red numbers on gas station signs across the South Bay jumped overnight, turning the morning into a sudden financial concern.
The spike in prices follow escalating tensions in the Middle East that have affected The Strait of Hormuz, a tiny stretch of ocean between Iran and Oman.
In late February 2026, long-standing tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran turned into military strikes that were launched against Iranian targets which caused Iran to block the global oil supply.
While it is not a physical wall , it’s a result of indirect revenge on Iran where they used military threats and attacks to make the waterway too dangerous for ships to enter.
Alessio Dyrby, a senior with two years of driving experience, fuels up every week and shares his perspective on the situation.
“I think there’s no reason to be fighting with Iran,” says Dyrby.
For local drivers, this resulted in a massive jump in prices, with San Mateo and Santa Clara County stations reporting averages of $5.53 per gallon, and some pumps even surpassing.
The cost of crude oil which was $3.85 per gallon before March 16 transitioned to $5.95 in a week.
While the high prices affect everyone, the service workers and students are struggling the most to keep up with the absurd prices.
Senior Alice Ross, although unlicensed, understands the financial burden that price surge caused among student drivers at Del Mar.
“I personally don’t drive, but all of my friends have been driving for at least a year,” Ross said. “I ride around with them and sometimes pay them gas money.”
The cost of a gallon varies drastically throughout San Jose. While some parts of the South Bay continue to maintain somewhat affordable prices around $5.00, more luxurious neighborhoods are facing unreasonable prices.
A teacher in the Performing Arts Center Ms.Chloe Biggs, has been driving since she was nineteen years old.
“I am not an expert on the specific correlations between current gas prices and political administrations but I am very aware that the growing geopolitical tensions are drastically driving up the cost of crude oil,”said Biggs.
In an attempt to stabilize the market, The White House announced the release of 172 million barrels: an emergency supply of oil. If released the oil would combat scarcity problems and stop prices from rising.
While the move is intended to lower the prices, it is speculated to not last very long due to the government only having a limited amount of oil.
The Strait of Hormuz provides a huge amount of oil to the whole world which is blocked currently.
The U.S. is trying to help by using its own emergency oil, but the amount of oil the world is losing from the blockage is much bigger than the amount the U.S. can give out.
As the week continues, daily lives of our society are becoming more prominent than ever. People are staying home for Spring Break instead of traveling.
Denzel Casas who has been driving for two years now explains how a sudden change can affect plans “I had to start saving more specifically towards gas and I had to spend less money on myself.”
This shows that when essential expenses like fuel rises, money that is typically used for personal wants is the first to be reduced to maintain necessary mobility.
Regarding this current situation, large delivery companies such as DoorDash and Instacart are equally as challenged with high fuel prices, paying up to $215 for one refill. To maintain profits, these companies are implementing extra delivery charges.
Del Mar keeps its community fueled up with positivity. Despite the high gas prices, many students started carpooling with friends and enjoying the morning drive together which showcases that we can handle these changes together.
