USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL GAS PRICES HIT USA HARD GAS PRICES HIT USA HARD Sticker shock: Gas prices rattle Americans Commuting: Interest in mass transit, carpools, scooters jumps | Some rethink where to call home Athletics: Sports world begins to sputter Lifestyles: Cheaper strategies devised | Boaters' plans sunk Governments: Services trimmed, fuel efficient vehicles added CALCULATE YOUR GAS COSTS CALCULATE YOUR GAS COSTS Gas prices rattle Americans Record high gas prices are prompting Americans to drive less for the first time in nearly three decades, squeezing family budgets and causing major shifts in driving habits, federal data and a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll show. As prices near — or in some places top — $4 a gallon, most Americans say they are cutting back on other household spending, seriously considering buying more fuel-efficient cars and consolidating their daily errands to save fuel. Americans worry that steep gas costs are here to stay: eight in 10 say they doubt today's high prices are temporary, the poll finds. It's the first time such a large majority sees pricey gas as a long-term problem. The $4 mark, compounded by a sagging economy, could be a tipping point that spurs people to make permanent lifestyle changes to reduce dependence on foreign oil and help the environment, says Steve Reich, a program director at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. "This is a more significant shift in behavior than I've seen through other fluctuations in gasoline prices," he says. "People are starting to understand that this resource … is not something to be taken for granted or wasted." The average price of a gallon of gas nationwide is $3.65 — the highest ever, adjusted for inflation. California's average: $3.90 a gallon. The federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects a $3.66 per-gallon average this summer. The pinch is reshaping the way Americans use their cars: • February was the fourth consecutive month in which miles driven in the USA fell, an analysis of Federal Highway Administration data show. There hasn't been a similar decline since 1979, when shortages created long lines at pumps. In the 12 months ending in February, the latest month for which data are available, miles driven fell 0.4% from a year earlier. The last drop of that scale was in 1980-81. The decline, while small, is significant because the U.S. population and number of households, drivers and vehicles grow by 1% to 2% a year. A gallon of gas has gone up 59 cents since February, suggesting the trend seems likely to continue. The EIA expects demand for gas to shrink 0.4% this summer from 2007 and fall 0.3% for the year. It would be the first dip in annual consumption since 1991. • In 2004 and 2005, about one-third of Americans said they cut spending because of rising gas prices. In the new poll, 60% say they are trimming other expenses. Half of households with incomes below $20,000 say they face severe hardships because of soaring gas prices. Three-fourths of households making $75,000 or more also are changing how they use their cars. Dawn Morris, a consultant in Dover, Del., is blunt about how gas prices are affecting her family. "It's killing us," she says. She and her husband often stay home on weekends, and when she balances her checkbook, "every third line it says gas: $20, $30, $50." • Americans' efforts to conserve gas are evident across the USA. At Don Jacobs Used Cars in Lexington, Ky., salesman Tony Morphis says customers are dumping gas guzzlers and ask first about gas mileage when they shop for replacements. Sonya Jensen, owner of Cat's Paw Marina in St. Augustine, Fla., says some boat owners are considering selling their watercraft. At Cycle Cave in Albuquerque, Hervey Hawk says customers are "dragging 30- to 40-year-old bikes out of the garage" and having them fixed so they can pedal to work. • In the poll, eight in 10 Americans say they use the most fuel-efficient car they own whenever possible. Three-fourths hunt for the cheapest gas available. Six in 10 share rides with friends or neighbors. Three-fourths say they are getting tuneups, turning off the air-conditioning or driving slower to improve mileage. Slower speeds might help save lives, says Dennis Hughes, safety chief for the Wisconsin Transportation Department. There have been fewer driving deaths each month since October compared with a year earlier. A harsh winter and record gas prices "conspired to keep a lot of people off the road, or at least to slow down," he says. Most of those polled expect things to get worse: 54% say they expect gas prices to reach $6 a gallon in the next five years. For now, they are rethinking the ways they get around, where they buy a home and what they do for fun. UPCOMING FUEL FORUM: Swap stories and money-saving tips with USA TODAY reporter Judy Keen and fellow readers, Tuesday, May 13 from 1-3 p.m. ET at http://fuelforum.usatoday.com. Enlarge By Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP Gas prices have risen well above the $4 a gallon mark, in Half Moon Bay, Calif. Record high gas prices are prompting Americans to drive less for the first time in nearly three decades, squeezing family budgets and causing major shifts in driving habits. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. 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