Drivers in Illinois can breathe a sigh of relief after gas prices dropped significantly over the last month.

According to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report, Illinois has had the biggest one month drop in gas prices in four years. The average gas prices, for regular unleaded in Illinois, have decreased from $3.92 to $3.47 — 45 cents per gallon — over the last 30 days.

Illinois gas prices have been consistently above the national average over the last year. As of Nov. 1, prices were near the national average for the first time since February 2012, when both averaged $3.55, the report states.

Ashley Koenig / Daily Vidette Staff Photographer: Cars fill up at Circle K and BP gas station Wednesday afternoon in Normal. Gas prices have dropped significantly since last month.

The survey looks at gas prices every day, and puts out the average in different states and, within each state, certain metropolitan areas, Nick Jarmusz, spokesperson for Chicago AAA, said.

“The last month we’ve seen a pretty significant drop. Illinois and most of the states in the Midwest have seen significant drops between 30 and 50 cents per gallon from what the prices were a month ago,” Jarmusz said.

Jarmusz said a lot of it has to do with economic uncertainty and people continuing to worry the economy isn’t growing, or restoring itself, as fast as it should be.

“People aren’t traveling as much,” Jarmusz added. “They are trying to conserve gasoline because they don’t have the disposable income to pay for unnecessary trips. That is pushing down the demand and lowers the price for that month.”

The price drop has not been noticed by everybody.

Jason Chapman, sales associate at Normal Qik-n-EZ, said  that people have been buying more gas when the price is up than when it is down.

“Maybe people are waiting for when [the price] is the lowest of the low,” Chapman added. “After the price rose from $3.05 to $3.20 people filled up their tanks.”

The average driver might not notice the changes in prices as closely as a business that relies on gas on a day-to-day basis.

Paul Goddard, driver for Red Top Cab in Bloomington, said he has noticed drastic decreases in the amount of money he has spent on gas in the last month.    

Fifty cents per gallon, for a cab driver, can save him over $100 in a week and up to $700 in a month, Goddard said.

To view AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report, go to its website at www.fuelgaugereport.aaa.com.