RIVERSIDE – The average price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline in the Inland Empire dropped for the 15th consecutive week this week, falling more than $1 below the record highs set in June.

The average price in Riverside and San Bernardino counties fell 5.9 cents this week to $3.588 – 26.3 cents less than at this time last month and $1.026 less than the record high of $4.614 set on June 22, but 62.5 cents more than at this time last year, the Automobile Club of Southern California reported Friday.

“Gas prices have dropped by 20 percent in a little less than four months and we're continuing to experience pretty sizeable decreases of a penny a day,” Automobile Club of Southern California spokesman Jeffrey Spring said.

“Californians are still paying less for gasoline on average than many states in the South, which continue to deal with supply shortages as a result of Hurricane Ike.”

The streaks of declines are the longest since the 16-week run that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The Auto Club provided this breakdown of gasoline prices in selected portions of California and Nevada as of 12:01 a.m today: Area Regular One-week Record Price change Riverside – San Bernardino

$ 3.588

-5.9 cents $ 4.614 (6/22/08) Orange County

$ 3.571

-6.3 cents $ 4.598 (6/19/08) San Diego

$ 3.597

-6.0 cents $ 4.630 (6/19/08) Los Angeles – Long Beach $ 3.594

-6.2 cents $ 4.626 (6/21/08) Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc

$ 3.689

-5.4 cents $ 4.709 (6/21/08) Bakersfield

$ 3.732

-6.1 cents $ 4.591 (6/24/08) Las Vegas

$ 3.472

-4.4 cents $ 4.279 (6/21/08)