The nationwide average price for a gallon of regular gas hit $3.60 in 2012, according to AAA. That’s up 9 cents from the previous record high of $3.51 a gallon set in 2011.

AAA blamed hurricanes, refinery outages and tensions in the Middle East for the high prices.

The third most expensive year on record was 2008, when prices averaged $3.25 a gallon.

2008 was also the year gasoline hit its highest one-day price ever — $4.11 per gallon in July. At the time, a red-hot global economy and fears over dwindling supplies were some of the factors that sent both gas and oil prices to their highest level ever.