Gas prices are so high that the number of Americans getting stranded on the road has jumped because they can't afford to fill their tanks

• Gas prices are so high that more drivers can't afford to fill their tanks, often leaving them stranded on the road, the Washington Post reported.
• Out-of-gas calls for roadside assistance in April were up 32% from a year ago, AAA data shows.

Gas prices are so high that more drivers can't afford to fill their tanks, often leaving them stranded on the road, the Washington Post reported.

Out-of-gas calls for roadside assistance in April totaled 50,787, marking a 32% jump from a year ago, according to AAA data. So far this year, more than 200,000 drivers have been stranded.

Since April, gas prices have soared even higher, likely worsening the trend of stranded drivers. On Thursday, prices reached a nationwide average of $4.97, up 62% from a year ago and up nearly 15% from a month ago. But 20 states are now seeing prices of $5 a gallon or more.

For some cars, that means drivers must pay more than $100 each time they fill up their tanks all the way to the top. That's too much for an increasing number of motorists.

A Washington Post-Schar School poll found that 44% of drivers contacted from April 21 to May 12 said they only partially filled their gas tanks. And for drivers earnings less than $50,000 a year, the share climbed to 61%.

Gas prices have climbed considerably since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. The US and EU have taken aim at the Kremlin's supply of oil to condemn its aggression, which has rattled energy prices overall across the globe.