gas station, vintageFlickr / Nordiska museet
America can expect lower gas prices in 2013 thanks to increased oil production and lower demand, AAA says.

"Cheaper gas prices are good news for the millions of Americans that depend on their car to travel where they need to go," said AAA's Robert Darbelnet. "Lower gasoline prices should translate into billions of dollars in tangible household savings given that the vast majority of Americans rely on automobiles to live their lives."

Prices are already down from the record high average of $3.60 in 2012.

That was partly the result of production disruptions from refinery fires, pipeline closures and major hurricanes, the agency noted.

Barring those things don't happen again, prices should drop during the first half of the summer to as low as $3.20-$3.40, following a late-spring peak.

They'll rise again in advance of the Gulf Coast hurricane season and the switchover to winter-blend gasoline, but should end the year by falling to low or near-low averages for 2013, the agency says.

The national average for current prices is $3.30.

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