A motorist fills up the tank on a sedan. Gasoline prices are sliding back toward the $4 mark for the first time in more than five months — good news for consumers who are struggling with high prices for many other essentials. Associated Press file photo

David Zalubowski

CAMARILLO, Calif. — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline plummeted 45 cents over the past two weeks to $4.10 per gallon.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the continued decline comes as crude oil costs also remain low.

“The drop of a dollar per gallon has not been enough to restore motorist demand, which is in retreat due to sustained high price levels,” Lundberg said in a statement.

The average price at the pump is down a dollar over the past nine weeks, but it’s 85 cents higher than it was one year ago.

Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas was in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $5.36 per gallon. The lowest average was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $3.38 per gallon.

According to the survey, the average price of diesel plunged 37 cents over three weeks to $5.17 a gallon.