Memorial Day weekend is about to get started and millions of people are expected to hit the road despite gas prices skyrocketing. 

"$5.25 a gallon for super? $5.25 a gallon!” said Tina Hill after getting gas.

"This just seems like gouging. Kind of thought they had it under control, but apparently not,” said another gas station customer.

"I think it's crazy...we got to find a solution somewhere,” said Bill Schreiber as he pumped diesel into his work truck.

What You Need To Know

  • Gas prices are higher than many people have seen in their lifetime

  • AAA says 35 million people are expected to travel on the road on Memorial Day weekend

  • AAA says to prepare for a lot of traffic the holiday weekend

Many people are paying more at the pump than they ever have before.

"It cost over $200 to fill the truck up and a year and a half, two years, ago it was under $100 to fill the truck up. And an additional $700 to fill the fuel tank in the back,” said Schreiber.

"Since I've been driving, which has been a long time, we never had to budget... gas was not something you budgeted for," Schreiber added. "You just pulled in and fueled up."

"I have to go to work now so I can pay for more gas,” said Hill.

The bad news is AAA does not believe prices will get much better ahead of Memorial Day weekend.

"We probably aren't going to see any relief at the pump before the holiday weekend as demand is on the rise. In a typical year, prices taper off after Memorial Day, but as of right now it's unclear if that will happen,” said AAA Communications Specialist Valerie Puma.

Luckily, right after the holiday, starting June 1, New Yorkers can expect some relief as the state cuts its gas tax. 

While the cost of gas may influence many people to stay home for the holiday, AAA still predicted that 35 million people will travel by car this weekend. If you're one of those millions, AAA said do not let the intimidating gas prices push you to risk driving on empty.

"Don't let your tank run dry though. We see a lot of people try to do the 'how far down can I get that needle.' Don't do that. It's actually really bad for your car,” said Dan Fisher, AAA dispatch manager. “That sediment that’s on the bottom of your gas tank can get thrown up into the engine, which you want to avoid at all costs. And you just never really know when you'll run actually completely out of fuel. Quarter of a tank at minimum is what we recommend. Better for your car and better for your peace of mind."

Road travel is up 5% from last year according to AAA, getting back to pre-pandemic levels. So that means the amount of traffic may be shocking to some. 

AAA suggested preparing for that by leaving as early as possible, planning your route in advance, looking at where and when to stop along the way, packing snacks for everyone in the car and driving on cruise control whenever possible to help save fuel.