How to save on gas as prices continue to rise

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The average price of gas nationally is now officially five dollars a gallon. Gas prices in the Carolinas have reached new highs, as both states’ averages jumped more than 25 cents in a week.

According to a spokeswoman for AAA of the Carolinas, you can save yourself a trip to the pump by combining errands, driving conservatively instead of speeding, and planning travel routes around where the cheapest gas is. You can also remove excess weight from your vehicle by packing light for long trips.

One of the biggest ways to waste gas: keeping your engine running in the drive-thru lane.

“That Chic Fil A line is so long, it’s out to the street,” said Tiffany Wright with AAA. “People don’t realize, when people say when do I burn the most gas? Well it’s idling. It’s at red lights. It’s in traffic. And really it’s that fast food line.”

According to a recent AAA study, 70 percent of North Carolinians say they will drive less if gas hits five dollars a gallon.