If the U.S. attacks Syria how high might gas prices go? It’s the question we’d like to avoid but warrants consideration once again, after President Barack Obama said Monday that he’s prepared to attack Syria, with or without a U.N. mandate. If Syrian President Bashar al-Assad reneges on the U.S. –Russian deal to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control, an attack could occur.

When nearly 20,000 consumers were asked by GasBuddy how high they think local prices could go, 30 percent of respondents said they think a hike would push prices up between 16 and 30 cents per gallon and 22 percent said they thought prices would spike by 51 cents or more.

  • 1-15 cents per gallon - 18 percent
  • 16-30 cents per gallon - 30 percent
  • 31-50 cents per gallon - 22 percent
  • 51 cents per gallon or more - 17 percent
  • No impact on fuel prices - 11 percent

When asked to identify the time frame in which they believe a U.S. military action would be over, those surveyed responded as follows:

  • 1 to 30 days - 12 percent
  • 31 to 60 days - 8 percent
  • 61 to 90 days - 5 percent
  • 91 days or more -31 percent
  • No military action will occur - 41 percent

“We’re hopeful that the 41 percent who believe no military action will occur are proven correct and that a political resolution will be found to avoid war in Syria,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy. “If there is a military response and a resulting fuel price spike, then we may soon be asking whether the President should tap the SPR to relieve prices. Hopefully, that won’t be necessary.”

GasBuddy operates more than 250 similar websites that track gasoline prices at more than 140,000 gasoline stations in the United States and Canada. In addition, GasBuddy offers a free app, which was just named one of the 50 best iPhone apps in 2013 by Time Magazine, which has been downloaded more than 25 million times to help motorists find the lowest gasoline prices in their area.