If you’re planning this week to head over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving, there’s good news: gas prices in Michigan are lower this week, averaging just over $3 a gallon.
In fact, at $3.01 a gallon, it’s 12 cents less a gallon than last week, 17 cents less than a month ago — and 18 cents less than a year ago, according to AAA.
In some places, the average is less than $3.
That might even be enough savings to splurge for a better bottle of wine.
More on that in a moment.
The lower price is driven, in part, by lower demand, 9.38 million barrels a day to 8.41, according to the Energy Information Administration, and lower oil prices, with West Texas Intermediate falling to 68.87 a barrel.
AAA is forecasting nearly 2.3 million Michiganders will take a road trip over Thanksgiving.
Metro Detroit’s current average is $3.06 per gallon, about 7 cents less than last week, but Ann Arbor, which had an average of $3.07 a gallon, is among the communities with the most expensive average gas prices.
The least expensive: Benton Harbor, $2.85; Saginaw, $2.90, and Flint, $2.92.
As for that wine — or any drinking that you might indulge in — AAA is preparing for more than 570,000 calls, and starting Wednesday, will offer its free Tow to Go service, aimed at saving lives.
The program is available in Michigan — and a few other states — from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Monday because, the auto club said, combining cocktails with driving can be deadly.
AAA will offer impaired drivers and their vehicles a safe ride, but only as a last resort. It will offer a confidential local ride for one person and tow for their vehicle to a safe place within 10 miles. Call: (855) 2-TOW-2-GO or (855) 286-9246.
A club membership is not required.
“Tow to Go serves as that last line of defense in keeping impaired drivers off the road,” said AAA’s Adrienne Woodland, spokeswoman. “If you plan to consume alcohol or drugs this weekend, make plans for a safe ride home first.”
“If your plans fall through,” she added, “you can call AAA, and we’ll get you to a safe place.”
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gas prices fall to $3/gallon in Michigan ahead of Thanksgiving travel
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Yahoo News – Latest News & Headlines…