Pull up to

the gas pump these days and you're likely to incur a

severe state of sticker shock.

Gas prices

have jumped to their highest level in five years and it

looks like there's no end in sight.

"Gasoline

prices have risen to this high level in response to low

inventories of crude oil," said Yoli Buss, director

of traffic safety for AAA Auto Club South.

Buss added

that several nations aligned with the Organization of

Petroleum Exporting Countries have also deliberately cut

back on oil production to raise prices around the globe.

In the last

month, gas prices for unleaded have jumped more than 7.5

cents a gallon and are nearly 30 cents from last June.

That

rationale doesn't help the thousands of commuters in the

county who are seeing more of their disposable income

pumped into the gas tank.

Around

Fayette and Coweta counties, travelers are paying around

$1.25 for unleaded and nearly $1.50 a gallon for premium

gasoline.

Last year,

residents were paying more than 40 cents a gallon less

for unleaded, with prices at 81 cents a gallon.

In the last

five years, the previous highest gas rate in February was

1.10 in 1997.