Fourth of July gas prices take an almost unprecedented plunge

The roads will be crowded this Fourth of July weekend, but travelers have at least one thing going for them: much cheaper gas prices than last year.

A record-setting 43.2 million Americans are expected to travel by car this holiday weekend, according to AAA. That’s 2.4% higher than last Fourth of July.

And yet gasoline prices are much lower. The national average for regular gasoline dipped to $3.55 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA. A year ago, a gallon of regular sold for an average of $4.87 a gallon.

That kind of price drop is almost unprecedented.

During the week ending June 26, the average gas price was $3.57 a gallon, according to the US Energy Information Administration. That’s down by $1.30, or 27%, from the same period last year.