With the price of gasoline skyrocketing, Americans drove nearly 10 billion fewer miles in May than in the same month last year – part of a 29.8 billion-mile decrease for the year compared to the first five months of 2007.

And New Yorkers have also taken their feet off the gas, logging 500 million fewer miles on the road in May 2008 than in May 2007, according to federal figures.

The 4 percent drop in miles logged in the Empire State in May surpassed the 3.7 percent seen nationwide.

“We’re seeing a sustained drop-off over a prolonged period . . . that we expect will continue,” Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said yesterday.