Americans hit the road in record numbers for 4th of July in spite of high gas prices

This Fourth of July, a record number of people are honoring the country through one of its most celebrated pastimes — the great American road trip — in spite of high gas prices.Gas prices are hovering near historic highs even after retreating from the sharp spike that followed the war with Iran.The national average for regular gasoline has fallen from a June peak above $4.56 a gallon as crude oil prices eased following the height of the conflict and the resumption of energy shipments through the Persian Gulf.Even so, drivers are still paying a national average of $3.84 a gallon on average — nearly $1 more than before the war and enough to make this the third-costliest Independence Day period at the pump on record, trailing only 2022 and 2008.The average price of gas in New York was $4.07 as of Friday.The pinch isn’t keeping Americans off the road.AAA expects a record 61.4 million people to travel by car over the holiday weekend, the second-busiest driving stretch of the year after Thanksgiving.

Instead of scrapping vacations, many families are opting for shorter getaways, destinations closer to home and fewer discretionary purchases like souvenirs to offset higher fuel bills, according to AAA.The stubbornly high cost of filling up could become a political headache for President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans as November’s midterm elections draw closer.A Gallup survey conducted during the first two weeks of june found that two-thirds of Americans say higher gasoline prices are causing financial strain, while nearly half reported changing their summer travel plans because of fuel costs.Consumer confidence improved modestly in June as gasoline prices retreated, easing some concerns about the economy.Trump has repeatedly predicted fuel prices would “drop like a rock” after the Middle East conflict ended and has accused retailers of failing to pass savings on to consumers quickly enough.Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, p...