Laura Lewis rarely cranked up her SUV this summer when gasoline prices shot to all-time highs.

But falling prices at the pump will get her behind the wheel of her Ford Expedition a little more often, she said Friday.

"We were carpooling in my husband's smaller car, but I think I'll drive in my own car more," she said at the Georgia Visitor Information Center on Interstate 20.

Mrs. Lewis and her family made a 31/2-hour drive from Charleston, S.C., to Augusta in the Expedition on Friday to visit friends. It was their first trip in months, and she hopes to take many more.

Lower gasoline prices will lead more drivers to hit the road, but some experts don't expect to see a huge surge. Most people will stay close to home until there's a more drastic drop, said Judy Reville, a spokeswoman for Augusta's AAA Auto Club South.

"It's still over $2 a gallon, so we haven't seen much of a change in driving habits," Mrs. Reville said. "If it stays that low, we may see a trend."

The national average price of regular unleaded gasoline has dropped almost a dollar in the past month, from $3.72 per gallon to $2.78, according to the AAA Auto Club Fuel Gauge Report. The area's average Friday was $2.78, down from $3.89 last month.

A barrel of crude oil dropped below $65 Friday afternoon, leading OPEC to slice production by 1.5 million barrels a day, which could lead to higher gasoline prices, said David Willett, a spokesman for Sierra Club, an environmental conservation organization.

"They control the price, so if the demand is gone down they will find a way for more money to come in," he said. "I think people realize that, so they'll continue to think about the fuel economy."

Mr. Willett said he hopes drivers keep the habits developed when gasoline prices were at their peak.

"The economy is still not in great shape, so I imagine they're still finding every way to save money," he said. "It's like if you weatherproof your home to avoid a high electricity bill. If electricity prices went down, you wouldn't take the weather stripping off."

Mrs. Lewis said she would not completely change her driving habits until she's sure the lower prices are here to stay.

"I'm hoping they'll stay low," she said. "Once the election is over, and we get all that behind us, I guess we'll see."

The holiday season will be the best measure of whether driving habits have changed, Mrs. Reville said.

"They may get a little relaxed around the holidays," she said, "but hopefully they'll keep some of those habits."