There's a new app to solve an old problem--running out of gas. 

TripTik, a free iPhone mobile application from AAA, can allow motorists to use their smartphones to save on gasoline.  A driver can launch the app when the vehicle's low fuel warning light comes on.

"It'll give a list of local gas stations by proximity, and display their prices for a gallon of gas," Garrett Townsend of AAA South tells WSB's Jon Lewis. 

Members and non-members of AAA can use the app.

"It makes it easy for the motorist to find the cheapest gas stations along their route, no matter where they go," says Townsend.  The app also helps plan routes for errands so that they are more fuel-efficient.

AAA notes that as gas prices edge up toward $4.00 a gallon and beyond, many drivers may find themselves stranded by trying to eke out more mileage than a dry tank will allow.

"We realize some motorists are trying to be resourceful and delay fuel expenditures by driving their car until the gas tank is nearly empty, but this can sometimes do more harm than good," said John Nielsen, AAA National Director of Auto Repair, Buying Services and Consumer Information. 

AAA recommends drivers always maintain at least a quarter-tank of fuel.  The group says running a vehicle extremely low on fuel may cause sediment in the bottom of the tank to clog the fuel pump pickup, the fuel filter or even the fuel injectors--leading to pricy repairs.  Also, safety may be compromised if a driver is stranded by running out of gas.