As gas prices climb back above $4 a gallon, some Florida drivers are waiting longer before filling up. AAA warns that habit could cost drivers far more than the money they are trying to save at the pump.

News 6 found gas listed at $4.17 at one station as drivers weighed when to fill their tanks.

One driver said she waits as long as possible before stopping for gas.

“I wait until I get down to the very nitty gritty of it,” she said.

She is not alone. According to a recent AAA study, 47% of Floridians say they wait longer to fill up when gas prices start rising.

Another driver said the decision often comes down to money.

“If I have the money, I can fill it,” the driver said. “If I don’t have the money, I wait until it gets close to empty.”

Some drivers are also planning their fill-ups around travel, trying to avoid higher prices in other cities.

“We’re actually heading out to Mount Dora, and I didn’t want to catch higher gas prices in Mount Dora,” one driver said. “I could have waited. I was only at almost a quarter of a tank today, but I didn’t want to get out there and pay a higher price.”

Mark Jenkins with AAA said regularly driving on a near-empty tank can increase the chances of a breakdown and potentially damage the vehicle.

“That could actually damage your fuel pump, and that could cause a whole slew of other issues,” Jenkins said. “We’re talking about replacement of a fuel pump, which could cost somewhere close to $1,000, so that’s more expensive than the cost of filling up the gas tank.”

AAA recommends drivers avoid letting the tank get too low, especially during periods of rising prices. Jenkins said drivers can also save fuel by removing extra weight from their vehicles, avoiding aggressive driving and using rewards or fuel discount programs.

Jenkins said gas prices could continue rising next week as oil prices fluctuate. Drivers looking to save money are encouraged to compare prices nearby and fill up before the tank is close to empty.