Fill 'er Up--Gas Prices are Down!

Gas prices throughout Northern California dropped steeply in July and are now under $4 per gallon in most of the Bay Area, AAA officials said Tuesday.

San Rafael saw the steepest drop, going down 27 cents to $3.94 per gallon.

Prices in other area cities went down between 18 and 25 cents for an areawide average of $3.96 per gallon.

Only San Francisco and San Mateo have average prices above $4 per gallon in the Bay Area as of Tuesday, according to AAA.

However, California remains far ahead of the national average price of $3.47, which also declined 18 cents since last month.

The price drops come from low international prices for oil, which is at its lowest since February despite continuing wars in oil-producing countries, AAA officials said.

But AAA still recommends keeping cars efficient to get better mileage by regularly performing routine maintenance like keeping tires inflated, making sure fluids are clean and keeping belts and hoses in good repair. Style of driving can also impact gas mileage -- sudden stops and starts burn more gas than smooth driving.

--Bay City News