Millions of Americans are expected to shrug off record Labor Day gasoline prices and take to the roads this weekend to enjoy the traditional last gasp of summer.
“High gas prices aren’t a deal-breaker for most people,” said Mantill Williams, a spokesman for the American Automobile Association.
He said higher fuel costs will add $15 to $20 to the average family’s vacation tab this weekend.
An estimated 28.3 million Americans will travel by automobile, light truck or recreational vehicle, up almost 6 percent from last year, the AAA said.
For New Yorkers, current gasoline prices, while high, are “lower than they were during the middle of the summer,” said Robert Sinclair, spokesman for the Automobile Club of New York.
He said in the five boroughs yesterday, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $1.71.
That compares to $1.75 a month ago and $1.38 a year ago.
The higher gasoline prices didn’t stop New York motorists from leisure driving during the summer – “but the concessions they’re making are they’re taking shorter trips,” Sinclair said.