Research and locate cheap car insurance in Alexandria, Virginia, the storybook city on the Potomac only seven miles south of D.C. With an estimated population of 139,966 in 2016, Alexandria’s total area is about 15 square miles. Mt. Vernon is located 8 miles to the south. “Old Town” is Alexandria’s historic core, featuring the city’s signature brick sidewalks and 18th Century structures such as Gadsby’s Tavern, which is now a museum. Established in 1946, Old Town was the third historic district designated in the U.S.

Driving Conditions in Alexandria

Alexandria is considered part of the Washington DC metro area, with the George Washington Parkway providing access into DC just to the north. The city is bisected by State Route 7, more commonly known as King Street, a busy corridor than runs westward from the Potomac. The average commute time is 29 minutes, longer than the national average of just under 26 minutes.

Current information on accidents, construction and weather-related delays is available by calling 511. Real-time traffic information also can be accessed and smartphone apps can be downloaded for Virginia 511 Web at 511virginia.org. AlertDC is the official District of Columbia communications system for emergency alerts, notifications and traffic updates. The site can be found at AlertDC.

Unique Laws in Alexandria

Alexandria in 1975 passed one of the first human rights ordinances in Virginia, prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodation, credit, health and social services, education and city contracts. The code was amended in 1988 to include sexual orientation as a protected class.

Elsewhere in the state, drivers who smoke in the car with a child under 8 can be fined $100, according to Virginia laws. There’s also a fine for opening a car door when it’s “not reasonably safe” to do so, such as in the path of an oncoming vehicle or cyclist. Drivers may cross double yellow lines to pass a pedestrian or anyone “moved by human power,” such as a bicycle, skateboard or scooter, provided it is safe to do so. Bicycles, mopeds and other non-motorized vehicles are now included in the list of vehicles for which a motorist can be cited for following too closely.

Alexandria Crime Statistics

From 2015 to 2016, serious offenses in Alexandria dropped by 4 percent over the prior year, the local police department reported. Total crime for Alexandria remains only slightly above the state average and well below the national average. The DC-Arlington-Alexandria metro area reported 10,222 cases of auto theft in 2016, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, or a rate of 204 incidents per 100,000 people. Within Alexandria, the rate is lower, at 167 incidents per 100,000. The national average for the same year was a rate of 220 per 100,000 people.

Alexandria Safety Requirements

Unless it’s an emergency call, learner’s permit holders may not use a cellphone or other wireless devices while driving, even if it is in hands-free mode. No matter where they are sitting in the vehicle, everyone under age 18 must wear a seat belt or ride in a child safety seat, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, and everyone in the front seat must wear a seat belt regardless of age.

Texting is banned for all drivers in Virginia.

Alexandria Impaired Driving Laws

According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, a driver who is over the age of 21 will receive a DUI charge if his or her blood alcohol level is higher than 0.08 percent. Those who refuse a test receive an automatic seven-day license suspension. First offenders receive a fine of $250 and one-year license revocation.

Punishment increases to include a five-day jail sentence for a BAC of .15 percent and 10 days for .20 or higher. Ignition interlocks may also be ordered, including for first offenders. No matter what your background, it’s possible to find cheap car insurance in Alexandria; contact us for rate comparisons.