May 16, 2008 - 04:30 AM

Jillian Follert

DURHAM -- With summer just around the corner, high gas prices are front and centre on the minds of many Durham drivers as they gear up for road trips, family outings and those weekly treks to the cottage.
    
Analysts are warning prices at the pump could jump to $1.40 a litre by peak driving season in June, July and August.
   
In recent weeks, the average price in Durham Region has hovered at about $1.20 a litre. Prices across the province have ranged from a low of $1.10 in areas like Brockville, to an eye-popping $1.58 in far-flung locales like Pickle Lake.
   
 The climb has been building slowly, but garnered headlines on April 18 when an overnight increase brought the average price up to $1.20 a litre -- the highest price since summer 2005.
   
Analysts say many factors are causing the spike, including record high trading prices for oil, a weak U.S. dollar that makes oil cheaper for investors overseas and concerns about limited oil supplies overseas.
   
Jason Toews, co-founder of torontogasprices.com, says he wouldn’t be surprised to see gas hit an average of $1.35 a litre in the GTA this summer.
   
His website tracks gas prices through user tips, listing up-to-the-minute high, low and average prices. The Toronto site is part of a larger network stemming from Gasbuddy.com, that uses 1.4 million registered users to follow gas prices across North America.
   
“We’re expecting gas prices to be at a record high this summer in the GTA and across most cities,” he said. “People are really frustrated, I hear them saying they’re spending more on gas than their car payments.”    Mr. Toews is predicting a spike in pump prices around the Victoria Day long weekend, then some stabilization with another jump close to Labour Day weekend.
   
He expects the costs will impact summer travel plans for many people in the GTA, saying people have to fill their cars up for work, but will cut out other driving if they can.
   
 Pickering-Scarbourgh MP Dan McTeague, who predicts the following day’s gas prices on his website every evening, says not to believe the hype.
   
“I think the highest we’ll see this summer is $1.28,” he said. “It’s clear that there is a perceived shortage of gas in the world, but it’s not real. I think we will actually see a glut in crude and the prices will start to drop over the next five to eight weeks.”
   
The MP says that’s because there has been a slump in oil demand in North America, which brings with it a slump in other markets, like China. 
   
Regardless of which prediction turns out to be correct, consumers are still looking for ways to get the most out of a tank of gas this summer.
   
Here are our top 10 gas conservation tips, culled from experts at Natural Resources Canada, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and torontogasprices.com.
   
(1) Don’t be a lead foot: as speed increases, the aerodynamic drag on the car increases too. You reduce fuel consumption by 15 to 20 per cent if you drive 100 km/hr versus 120/km/hr
   
(2) Tire pressure: keep tire pressure at the level recommended by the manufacturer -- an inexpensive tire gauge can help. Even a single under-inflated tire can increase fuel consumption by about 1 per cent. Also remember to rotate tires every 10,000 kilometres and have them aligned and balanced once a year
   
(3) Keep it steady: anticipate traffic changes to avoid accelerating or braking hard. For example, don’t speed up to a red light just to slam on the brakes -- coast towards it and you might sail right through when it turns green
   
(4) Easy on the A/C: air conditioning makes the engine work harder, using up to 20 per cent more fuel when it’s running
   
(5) Keep windows closed: when windows are down, especially at high speeds, there is more drag on the car, which can decrease fuel economy by up to 10 per cent
   
(6) Don’t put off maintenance: taking your car in for regular checks can catch things like dirty air filters, low fluid levels, dragging brake calipers and under-inflated tires, which can all affect fuel economy
   
(7) Make cruise control your friend: maintaining a constant speed over long distances can save gas
   
(8) Get the junk out of the trunk: unless you’re transporting it from one place to another, that stuff in the trunk is weighing you down, an extra 45 kilograms can increase fuel costs by up to two per cent
   
(9) Don’t idle: re-starting the car uses less gas than letting it idle for several minutes -- if you’re going to be stopped for more than one minute, turn it off
   
(10) Plan ahead: use up-to-date road maps and online tools to plan routes for long trips and aim for the most fuel-efficient route, not necessarily the most direct. That could mean taking four-lane highways instead of two lane, or avoiding areas with lots of traffic lights.

 
 

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