Young drivers racking up credit card debt for gasoline

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Randall Jeppesen reportingA new poll shows that high gas prices might be sending a lot of young people into credit card debt.

For teenagers, having car keys is much more than transportation. It's a sense of freedom.

But a survey by Junior Achievement and the Allstate Foundation shows young drivers are racking up credit debt filling up on gas.

"I kind of live on credit cards," one young adult driver said. And she isn't alone. The survey says nearly 70 percent are using credit cards to buy gas.

"My car, I used to be able to fill it up for like $21," another driver said.

The survey suggests parents take time to talk with teens and young adults about how quickly their credit card bills can pile up. If not, it might be the parents who have to end up bailing them out financially.

E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com