Jane Caffrey joined ABC15 September 2024 as a multimedia journalist. She is passionate about listening to concerns and digging deep to find answers and taking an in-depth look at crucial topics.
As the war with Iran continues and gas prices keep rising, drivers are looking for ways to protect their wallets.The national average is lingering around $4 this week, up $1 in the last month, according to AAA.
'They’re climbing. They’re climbing,' Joseph Solares, Buckeye, AZ, said. 'It's definitely been an adjustment. It's one of those things we're always conscious about.”For some, the soaring prices are changing daily habits.'I think they're ridiculous,' Lori Simonson, Scottsdale, AZ, said. 'And I'm not driving as much.”Inside a Toyota service center in Avondale, Arizona, technicians say saving money starts with how you care for your car.'Obviously, with the gas prices on everybody's mind, including my own,” Scott Johnson, shop foreman at Avondale Toyota, said. “It's a big topic that we're seeing with customers just trying to get the best bang for their buck.”Johnson shared concrete steps drivers can take to improve fuel efficiency. First, he said the cheapest fuel isn't always the best fuel.'Sometimes you have to buy the top-tier fuel. It's very important to make sure the gas station that you're using is a busy gas station, you want to make sure that the fuel is fresh and not sitting in a tank for long periods of time,' Johnson said.The next step is regular maintenance.'Oil changes are the key,' Johnson said. 'Make sure your fluids are topped off and everything like that for your trips.”It is not just what is under the hood.'Tire inflation is a big key when it comes to saving fuel,' Johnson said. 'Along with that are alignments.”Johnson said even small issues like dirty filters can cost drivers more.How you drive matters too. Remove unnecessary and bulky items that weigh your car down. Avoid hard acceleration. And plan to accomplish multiple errands on one trip.When it comes to long-term savings, he recommends considering a hybrid model.'To get the best bang for your buck, a hybrid is the way to go. The newer cars have plenty of power with the hybrid, and the fuel efficiency is there,' Johnson said.But with any car, care is the key.'It's just to maintain your vehicle, keeping it at its optimal efficiency,' Johnson said.Back on the road, it is not just consumers taking note of soaring gas prices. Lyft just announced it is kicking off a 60-day driver relief program on Friday.The company will give its drivers cash back and points for services whenever they fill up over the next two months.'I've always taken care of my cars, and I've always cared about gas, so I think all of those things are important,' Simonson said.With no relief in sight, experts and drivers agree, small steps can add up over time to real savings.'Air in the tires. Anything you can do to keep up with it,” Solares said. “It really does help with the gas mileage.”This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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