The Federal Highway Administration says driving by Americans dropped sharply in June, just as the summer travel season was beginning.

Americans drove 12.2 billion fewer miles in June 2008 than they did in June of last year.

That was the biggest monthly drop in a downward driving trend that began in November as soaring gas prices started to pinch consumers. Overall, Americans drove 53.2 billion fewer miles November through June than they did over the same eight-month period a year earlier.