Gas prices in Massachusetts hit a new record high overnight after the busiest Memorial Day Weekend for travel in the past two years.
A gallon of regular gas is now $4.76 per gallon, up from $4.73 on Tuesday. Massachusetts is still well above the national average of $4.67 per gallon, according to AAA Northeast.
The price hike comes right after Memorial Day weekend, in which AAA predicted 39.2 million people would travel 50 miles or more from home.
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There are some simple ways to conserve gas, even when driving long distances, according to AAA Northeast spokesperson Mark Schieldrop.
"You can really improve your fuel economy just by easing up on the gas pedal a little bit, most cars lost their fuel efficiency above 50 miles an hour," Schieldrop said.
Click here for an interactive map on where to find the cheapest gas in Massachusetts.
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Tips on how to save gas while driving
Here are some tips from AAA to help you save you money on gas:
- Keep your tires properly inflated. Underinflation reduces fuel economy.
- Slow down and drive at the speed limit. On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.
- Avoid sudden starts and accelerations. These actions considerably increase fuel consumption.
- Avoide prolonged idling to warm up the engine, even in winter, as it wastes fuel.
- Minimize the use of air conditioning. Even at highway speeds, open windows have less effect on fuel economy than the engine power needed to run the air conditioning compressor.
- Also, compare gas prices -- sometimes the lowest prices are just around the corner.
