The average retail per gallon price of gasoline set another record, the 20th in a row, on Tuesday, May 27 at $3.937 nationally, a bad sign for the opening of the summer driving season traditionally associated with the Memorial Day weekend.

According to figures compiled by AAA, prices have climbed 9% in the last month and 23% from a year ago. Eleven states and Washington, D.C. now report prices in excess of $4 per gallon, with the most expensive fuel on sale is in Alaska at $4.201 for regular unleaded and in Connecticut at $4.196.

Wyoming continues to offer the least expensive gasoline, an average $3.751 with Missouri running a close second at $3.753. Even at those levels, however, Americans are sharply curtailing their driving, putting in 11 billion fewer miles in March 2008 than in 2007.

Each month the Federal Highway Administration compiles a "Traffic Volume Trends" report, which showed that vehicle travel on public roads fell an estimated 4.3% in March, the greatest recorded decline in the history of the report.

Given the level of trading on crude oil futures, no price break at the pump is likely any time soon. July futures traded at $132 a barrel Tuesday morning after achieving $135 last week. Concerns about the weak dollar and a rising global demand for diesel continue to drive up the price of crude.