SIOUX FALLS-The AAA believes fewer South Dakotans will be on the road this holiday weekend because of higher gas prices.

"Triple-A is predicting about 93,000 South Dakotans are going to travel this weekend, and of those, just a little over 79,000 by vehicle," said Mark Medeja, a spokesman in Sioux Falls.

Weekend travel expectations nationwide and in South Dakota are down about 1 percent from last year, he said.

"So we, I believe, have finally hit that place in time to where the price of a gallon of gasoline does now affect what somebody is going to do for summer vacation," said Medeja.

AAA said the average price of gas in the state is $3.82 a gallon for regular.

The highway patrol said it plans extra patrols on the state's busiest highways and interstates over the three-day holiday weekend.

"Our goal is to have a crash-free Memorial Day weekend," said Patrol Col. Dan Mosteller. "We're hoping the troopers will serve as very visible reminders for drivers to follow traffic laws."

Their focus will be on speeding, drunk driving and seat belt violations, he said.

There were 127 traffic accidents in South Dakota during the Memorial Day weekend last year, resulting in 49 injuries and one fatality.

South Dakota has recorded at least one traffic death each Memorial Day weekend the past five years.

The weekend forecast calls for scattered off-and-on showers and thunderstorms, with highs in the mid-60s to low 70s on Saturday, warming to near 70 northwest and the low 80s southeast on Sunday.