(AP) -- Memorial Day weekend travel in South Carolina is expected to increase more than 3 percent this year in part because the state has the lowest-priced gas in the country.
AAA Carolinas estimates 437,000 South Carolinians are expected to take to the road for the long holiday weekend. Gas prices in the state averaged $3.34 a gallon on Tuesday - down 28 cents from last year on May 22.
An estimated 500,000 South Carolinians are expected to travel more than 50 miles from home, with the number of people flying down more than 5 percent.
The state's average gas prices have dropped 40 cents a gallon since peaking at $3.74 on April 9th, giving South Carolina the nation's cheapest average price for a gallon of regular unleaded. North Carolina has the 10th lowest gas price in the nation at $3.55 a gallon.
Today's price is 28 cents lower than on May 22, 2011.
The average round trips are expected to be shorter - about 570 miles compared to 730 round trip miles a year ago.
(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
