CNN poll: Drivers expect $4 a gallon gas this year

WASHINGTON (CNN) - How high will gas prices soar this summer?

A new national poll suggests that nine out of ten Americans think prices at the pumps will top $3 some time this year, and nearly three out of four feel that gas could cost up to $4 a gallon this summer.

Only 27 percent of people questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey think they'll pay $5 a gallon some time this year. The poll's Friday afternoon release comes at the start of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, which is the traditional kickoff of the summer driving season.

The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline stood at $2.39 on Friday, according to motorist group AAA. Even though gas has jumped by 30 cents a gallon over the past month, it's still far below last summer's $4-a-gallon prices.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted May 14-17, with 1,010 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.