The war with Iran is starting to cause some serious pain at the pump. According to AAA, the average price of gasoline topped $4 a gallon this week, marking the first time it has hit that level since 2022. Gas prices have surged more than $1 a gallon over the past month due to the war-fueled spike in oil prices.

High gas prices are bad news for American wallets, given how much gasoline we consume each year. Here's a look at how much gas American drivers use each year and some ways you can cut down on your consumption.

Image source: Getty Images.

Drilling down into the data on gas demand

In 2024, American vehicles guzzled 137.8 billion gallons of gasoline or about 3.3 billion barrels, according to Coltura. That's equivalent to filling the gas tank of a mid-sized SUV (approximately 20 gallons) about 7.7 billion times over the course of a year.

According to Consumer Affairs, there were about 240 million licensed drivers in the U.S. that year. That puts the average gas consumption per driver at nearly 575 gallons per year, or about 29 complete fill-ups. That's down from an average of 656 gallons a decade ago, due to fuel-efficiency gains and the increase in hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs).

According to research by the Motley Fool on How Much Americans Spend on Gas Every Month, the average driver was paying $201 a month, or 3.1% of their total budget, on gasoline last year when it averaged $3.31 per gallon. However, with the average gas price now over $4 a gallon, Americans are on pace to spend even more this year.

Ways to cut your gasoline consumption

Gasoline prices could continue to rise during the summer due to war-driven supply disruptions. Hopefully, we won't see a repeat of 2022, when the national average gas price reached a record $5 a gallon for one week in June.

However, given the possibility of higher gas prices, it would make sense (and save some cents) to look for ways to reduce your gasoline consumption. Here are some practical tips to consider that could help reduce the impact of higher gas prices on your budget:

• Drive more conservatively. Gentle acceleration and gradual braking, maintaining moderate speeds, and using cruise control can significantly improve fuel efficiency.
• Optimize your vehicle: Properly inflated tires, removing excess weight, using the correct motor oil, and a tuned engine can all help boost your fuel efficiency.
• Strategic driving: Combine multiple trips into a single one, reduce AC usage, work from home more often, and plan your route to avoid traffic to lower your fuel consumption.

According to a U.S. Department of Energy study, the average driver can improve their vehicle's fuel efficiency by about 10% by taking these steps. That could save you nearly 60 gallons of gas each year (about three fill-ups), or about $240 at $4 a gallon.

American gas consumption is falling

The average American is consuming less gas now than they were a decade ago, which is welcomed news given the surge in gas prices. Many drivers can cut their consumption even further by driving more conservatively and strategically, while also ensuring their vehicles are properly maintained and optimized. That could help offset some of the impact of higher gas prices this year.