SAN DIEGO -- Motorists in California Monday began paying a new statewide record price average of $2.036 a gallon for self-serve unleaded gasoline, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

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The old state record of $2.034 was set on May 15, 2001. In the past year, the price of regular unleaded has increased 67.8 cents.

San Diego motorists are paying an average of $2.039, a new record that tops the previous high of $2.025 set on May 29, 2001.

Carol Thorp of the Auto Club said lower prices at the pump may not be in the cards until the "Iraq situation" is resolved.

"California gasoline prices have been rising steadily for the past nine and a half weeks, and increases are likely to continue," she said. "The slow march to a possible war with Iraq has been the major factor in pushing up prices."

In the Los Angeles-Long Beach area, the price of regular self serve is $2.006, just 3 cents below the all-time record of $2.036.

Orange County has an average price of $2.022, 1.8 cents shy of its all-time high price of $2.040.

San Francisco drivers have a new record price of $2.188, and Sacramento motorists are paying a new record price of $2.044.