Data projects highest Thanksgiving gas prices on record

BOSTON, Mass. (KRDO) -- New data provided by GasBuddy, a fuel savings platform that tracks gas prices, travelers should brace themselves for high prices for the Thanksgiving holiday.

According to GasBuddy, the national average is projected to stand at $3.68 on Thanksgiving Day, nearly 30 cents higher than this time last year. The previous record for gas prices on Thanksgiving Day was reportedly set at $3.44 in 2012.

“It has been a dizzying year at the pump, with motorists likely feeling nauseous not from the eggnog, but from the roller coaster ride at the pump with record gasoline prices earlier this year, which have fallen
significantly since mid-summer,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, in a press release. “Americans, however, are proving that while we’ll openly complain about high gas prices, most of us aren’t deterred from taking to the highways to observe Thanksgiving with those that matter most to us, especially as precautions from the pandemic have eased.”

GasBuddy predicts Wednesday afternoon between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Friday between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. to be the busiest on the nation's highways.

Below are money-saving tips for motorists on the road this holiday season by GasBuddy:

• Shop around for the best prices. The first gas station you see isn’t always the cheapest and driving a few extra blocks can save drivers upwards of 30 cents per gallon. GasBuddy also offers a Search Along Route feature to help drivers plan stops on their road trips.
• Pay with GasBuddy. A free payments service that offers up to 25 cents off per gallon on every fill-up at hundreds of thousands of gas stations nationwide.
• Slow down on the road. Aggressive driving habits like speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking can cost drivers hundreds of extra dollars per year in additional fuel consumption.
• Watch out for state lines. Differences in taxes can cause big differences between states. If traveling through multiple states, check the GasBuddy app to fill up on the lower priced side