Know more about Chesapeake to find deals on cheap car insurance. Immediately south of Norfolk and extending to the North Carolina border, Chesapeake is home to an estimated 233,371 within its 351 square miles. Considered part of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk metro area and located on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the city is part of the area known as South Hampton Roads. Chesapeake has a number of urban areas, but much of its land is protected farmlands and wetlands – and these include part of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Let Cheap Car Insurance help take the leg work out of shopping for the best car insurance in Chesapeake. Get your auto insurance quote today!

Driving Conditions in Chesapeake

The Chesapeake Expressway and Veterans Bridge are toll roads. Drivers should be aware, locals warn, that tunnels in South Hampton Roads are prone to backups during rush hours.

Compared to average U.S. Cities commute of about 25 minutes, Chesapeake has a slightly shorter commute time at 24.2 minutes, according to Census Bureau data.

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.

Unique Laws in Chesapeake

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.

Chesapeake Crime Statistics

FBI data shows that violent crime rates in Chesapeake are on par with the national average, while property crime rates have been below the U.S. average for more than 15 years.

Chesapeake had 326 cases of auto theft in 2015, or a rate of 139 incidents per 100,000 people – far below the national average of 220 per 100,000 people, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Up-to-date crime maps, online citizen reporting, lists of certified solicitors and information on the city’s Citizen Police Academy can be found at cityofchesapeake.net.

Chesapeake 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 behind the wheel is banned for all ages in Virginia.

Chesapeake 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. 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 and 10 days for .20 or higher. Ignition interlocks may also be ordered, including for first offenders.