AAA: What's The Fastest Route To Myrtle Beach?

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — When vacationers from Charlotte think about heading to Myrtle beach, Highway 74 usually comes to mind. But is that route really the quickest way to get there? Is it the cheapest?

AAA aimed to answer just those questions and they said there is a more important lesson to learn.

Jason Gaskins usually drives to Myrtle Beach three times per year, but this time Gaskins is taking part in a special experiment.

"(I want to) help people see that it's better to drive safe, save gas money and be responsible with it," Gaskins said.

Called the Great Myrtle beach Road Trip, its goal was to find the fastest and most fuel-efficient route to the Grand Strand.

There were three teams competing and each team took a different route. One team followed the posted speed limit, another went with the flow of traffic.

A 2011 Chrysler 300 M averaged 31 miles per gallon, traveling the most efficient route, following the speed limit rigorously between CLT and MB. The route was 485 to route 218, to US-74 in Polkton to SC-38 which turns into US-501, then 22 (Conway Bypass) to Highway 17.

AAA's head driver, Tom Crosby, said the last time the auto advice company performed the experiment was 14 years ago. Unlike then, gas prices now are extremely high and most people don't realize that driving faster could mean wasting fuel.

"It showed that going the speed limit relieves the worry of getting a ticket, reduces your chance of getting into a wreck and saves fuel," said Tom Crosby, vice president of Communications, AAA Carolinas.

The shortest trip took three hours and 18 minutes while speeding compared with the speed limit route which took three hours and 36 minutes. Speeding resulted in a time advantage of only 17 minutes.

"Every 5 miles per hours you go over 60 mph consumes somewhere between 7 and 23 percent more fuel, according to the Department of Energy," Crosby said.

But Crosby said there is an even bigger warning in the experiment. One-third of all traffic deaths in North Carolina involve speeding. Those lessons could be beven more important this summer. AAA expects even more drivers on the road, unless the price of gas hits $4 per gallon.

The Routes Route 1: Take I-485 South to NC-218. Get on US 74 East through Rockingham to NC-38 South. Pick up US-501 South near Latta to SC-22 East to US-17. South on US-17 to the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes. Speed Limit: Tom Crosby, 2011 Chrysler 300M, MPG City-18, Hwy-27 Normal Driving: Michelle Ragone, 2009 Honda Accord, MPG City-21, Hwy-30

Route 2: Take I-77 South from Charlotte to SC-9 South near Richburg. Pick up SC-903 to SC-151 South to US-52 South. Take I-95 North for a few miles and then South on SC-327. Head down US-76 East to SC-576 East, followed by US-501 South into US-17 North. Drive North on US-17 to the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes. Speed Limit: Clint Kemp, 2008 GMC Acadia, MPG City-16, Hwy-24 Normal Driving: Steve Phillips, 2007 Jeep Commander, MPG City-14, Hwy-18

Route 3: Head East out of Charlotte on US-74 and pick up US-52 South near Wadesboro. Pick up SC-9 followed by 38 which turns into 501 South to 22. Take 22 into 17 and head South on 17 to the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes. Speed Limit: Whitney Berongi, 2007 Toyota Yaris, MPG City-29, Hwy-35 Normal Driving: Jason Gaskins, 2009 Toyota Camry, MPG City-21, Hwy-31

WSOC