Gas prices are trending down to begin the year in New York, where the average price for a gallon of regular gas is at $3.35. That's down compared to last year across the state, but whether the trend continues into 2024 depends largely on world affairs.

In 2022, as war in Ukraine raged, Matt Frustaci was feeling the effects at home and at the pump.

“Almost $5 a gallon. I had another car, it was almost $70 a week," he said.

The prices made a huge difference in his daily 100-mile commute.

“Right now, about $35 a week," Frustaci said he pays.

The start of 2024 has brought some relief to him and other drivers. A report from AAA found New York’s average for a gallon of gas is down 5 cents over last year’s price at this time.

“Right now, supply is robust and demand is largely down, which it typically is this time of year," said AAA communications specialist Mark Gruba.

But there’s concern the decline won’t last. Oil prices are fluctuating to start the year due to a conflict involving Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

On Monday, Iran announced it would send a warship to the area. That follows the U.S. Navy's recent sinking of three Houthi boats, killing 10 rebels, after they attacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea, according to The Associated Press.

Gruba said it’s not making a huge difference on U.S. gas prices yet, but it bears watching.

“Anything that would significantly impact the flow of oil out of that region to other parts of the world, including the U.S., could have a major impact on gas prices, depending about a couple of things how big the disruption is and how long that disruption lasts," he said.

Frustaci is naturally keeping an eye on it, but he did some future-proofing to ensure he doesn’t have to deal with anything like 2022 again.

“That's why I bought a hybrid, because ever since gas prices went up to about five bucks a gallon, I needed something a little bit more fuel efficient," he said. "So that's why I was thinking ahead a little bit.”