With gas prices flirting with the $4 mark, it’s a wonder people are sticking to their summer vacation plans. But for the most part they will, according to the American Automobile Association. They’ll just be more frugal.

While AAA has not released official summer travel projections yet this year other than a report on international travel, the travel decisions made over the Memorial Day weekend typically set the tone for the rest of the summer.

Decisions, decisions

This year’s Memorial Day travel projections showed a drop of almost 1 percent in the number of travelers venturing at least 50 miles from home compared to last year, a difference of about 360,000 travelers nationwide.

International travel will see a 2.6 percent increase from last year over the summer, according to a Global Insight study released in April.

“In terms of normal patterns, this is the first year when you could say there was a slight drop,” said Nick Wallner, spokesman for AAA Northern New England, particularly since the events of Sept. 11 caused a drop in travel.

The gas crunch

Gas prices in the state have increased by about 70 cents in the past year, a large portion of that increase occurring in the last several months.

And despite through-the-roof gas prices, Wallner said vacation plans will still be on, but maybe on a smaller, more affordable scale.

“There are people who are always going to take that vacation no matter what,” said Wallner, adding New Hampshire residents typically plan their vacations instead of taking spontaneous trips and may alter them based on the price of gas, but will not eliminate them altogether.

If gas prices are taking too large of a chunk out of travel expenses, Wallner said, vacationers will look for cheaper accommodations and will cut down their spending on food and attractions before scrapping the plans altogether.

As of Thursday, May 22, the state’s average cost for regular fuel was $3.76, about a 20 percent increase from the state average for regular gas on the same day last year. The price of crude oil was running around $135 a barrel. Wallner said he thinks the gas prices could make it to $4 per gallon by the end of the summer before they start to come down.

“I don’t think we’ll see it break $4,” he said, adding both Connecticut and New York are seeing prices more than $4 per gallon because of their heavy taxes on gas.

And while the state’s gas prices are sliding upward toward $4 per gallon, that’s still not as bad as elsewhere.

“We in New Hampshire could benefit a lot from that,” Wallner said, seeing as New Hampshire currently holds the lowest state average gas price in New England.

The average regular gas price in Massachusetts as of May 22 was $3.81 per gallon; Vermont’s was $3.79; Maine’s was $3.84; Connecticut’s was $4.08; and Rhode Island’s was $3.86.

“New Hampshire could be a major target destination,” Wallner said. “I think you’re going to see a lot of people from Canada coming down here because the Canadian dollar is so powerful right now.”

Gas prices have spiked particularly in the past several months because the February to May period is when oil refineries are making cleaner-burning fuels for summer travel, Wallner said, while at the same time working on refining and using up their supply of heartier winter formula.

Certain counties are required by the Environmental Protection Agency to burn cleaner fuels. There are four counties in New Hampshire that meet that criteria: Merrimack, Hillsborough, Rockingham and Strafford.

Travel tips that save gas, money and sanity

According to the state Department of Environmental Services and the United States Department of Energy, there are a few things motorists can do to limit their fuel consumption and extend their car’s drivability on a tight budget.

While none of these tips are going to take the sting out of rising gas prices, they will extend your car’s mileage, reduce the number of times you have to fill up and help leave a little extra spending money in your wallet.

The biggest gas savings can be realized by simply slowing down. Optimum gas mileage for most vehicles occurs at a speed of about 60 mph. Every 5 mph over that adds an average 20 percent to a vehicle’s gas consumption.

Adhering to the speed limit can save 26 to 86 cents per gallon of gas, according to the United States Department of Energy’s Web site, www.FuelEconomy. gov.

Also, the use of cruise control does help by maintaining a constant speed, but in cases of moderate to heavy traffic, it can backfire if there is a lot of stopand- go.

Idling wastes gas on traveling nowhere, which decreases your car’s gas mileage significantly. Idling should be kept to about one minute, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, even when warming up the car in the winter.

Tires should always be filled to the proper air capacity, no more and no less. This is particularly important for summer driving, when hot temperatures can cause sudden changes in tire pressure. A car’s vehicle guide will say how many pounds of air should be in both the front and rear tires, and the pressure should be monitored every few weeks. Keeping tires at the right pressure can save about 11 cents per gallon, according to FuelEconomy. gov.

While the air conditioner does use up some gas, leaving the windows open while driving down the highway also uses a lot of gas by creating aerodynamic drag.

Items stored on roof racks also create drag, so extras should be stored in the trunk when possible. Cutting down or eliminating drag altogether can save about 4 to 7 cents per gallon, according to FuelEconomy.gov.

A vehicle’s air filter should be changed at least once a year, and most vehicle manuals say to change it every 9,000 to 12,000 miles, according to AutoMedia. com.

A good practice is to check the air filter every time the oil is checked or when the car is undergoing other repairs, just to make sure the screen has not completely clogged with dirt and prevented air flow through the engine.

Drivers can save an extra 37 cents per gallon, according to FuelEconomy. gov, by being consistent about changing their air filter. Motorists should also check their car’s oil frequently, particularly after idling in traffic for long periods, as well as the coolant, to make sure the car’s temperature remains at a reasonable level.

Also, simply checking the oil regularly – most experts say every two weeks – and putting the right kind and amount of oil in your car can save between 4 and 7 cents per gallon, according to FuelEconomy.gov.

Finally, joining an auto club such as AAA can help travelers book package deals and plan routes that will save time, money and gas.