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Gas Prices Dropping In Time For Summer Vacations

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Warmer weather is coming, people are making summer vacation plans, and – guess what? – gas prices are dropping like crazy.

The average price of a gallon of regular gas in Illinois was $3.76 on Tuesday, down 24 cents from a month ago.

CBS 2's Marissa Bailey talked to drivers in Naperville to see how the drop in prices might impact their summer travel plans.

Gwen J. said she's a bit skeptical that prices will keep going down. She put just $20 worth of gas in her tank on Tuesday.

"That's about all I can put in today. So then, on Friday I'll just fill it up," she said. "Just enough to get by, but who knows what it's going to be on Friday?"

Even though gas prices have dropped, AAA spokeswoman Beth Mosher said the decrease won't increase road travel.

"The price of gas just isn't going to have an effect, one way or the other, on people's decisions to travel," Mosher said.

That is true for Bruce Arenson and his 1957 Chevy.

"Who wouldn't want to drive this car?" he asked.

Even though he admitted his classic car is also a gas guzzler, he said, "It's a lot of fun driving it."

Arenson said he doesn't take many road trips, but has considered taking his classic Chevy on a trip to Iowa.

He said he's going no matter what.

The same was true for Olivia Ciuollo, a self-proclaimed avid driver.

Even though prices have dropped, she said it's not enough for a spontaneous road trip.

"It not's going to prompt me to go on vacation or, like, drive somewhere more often," Ciuollo said.

The question is, will prices continue to drop? Mosher said prices will be front-loaded for the year – meaning we'll pay more in the first six months for a gallon of gas than we will in the last six months.

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