Cheap Car Insurance in Surprise, Arizona

Find cheap car insurance in Surprise, Arizona, a Phoenix suburb with nearly year-round pleasant weather. Founded in 1938 by a woman who said she would be surprised if it ever amounted to much, the city began as a few houses and a gas station and incorporated in 1960. Retirees flocked to the city beginning in the 1990s to Sun City Grand, an age-restricted community that is now the largest contributor to the city’s population. Now home to an estimated 132,677 residents, Surprise is part of Maricopa County, a more than 9,000 square-mile county that contains more than half of all Arizona residents.

Driving Conditions in Surprise

Phoenix is about 45 minutes from Surprise via Highway 60, though the fastest route is said to be taking State Route 303 to Interstate 10. Neither route promises to be hassle free: A 2013 ranking compiled by Obrella.com ranked Surprise at No. 4 on a list of 20 Worst Commuter Cities in Arizona among communities with more than 10,000 population. Commute times for the Phoenix metro area are on par with the U.S. average of 26 minutes; however, the average commute time for Surprise is nearly 30 minutes, according to U.S. Census data. For updates, travel advisories and other information on traffic conditions, access www.azdot.gov. For real-time traffic maps, visit az511.com/traffic/.

Unique Laws in Surprise

The City of Surprise has a curfew for minors of 10 p.m. weeknights and midnight weekends. City leaders recently repealed a law fining owners of properties where police are summoned too many times after a domestic violence victim sued, alleging she was afraid to call police again when she needed help. The 2010 law deems a property a nuisance if there were four or more police calls within 30 days or if two crimes are committed on the property within the same time frame.

Arizona drivers are permitted to make U-turns at intersections unless there is a sign specifically prohibiting it. Know that if you cut down a cactus considered endangered, you would face a year in prison.

Surprise Crime Statistics

FBI statistics compiled for 2016 show 135 violent crimes in Surprise, six of which were murder or manslaughter. The local violent crime rate of 103 offenses per 100,000 residents is far below the average U.S. violent crime rate of 386 per 100,000. The property crime rate in Surprise was 1,904 per 100,000 residents, also below the U.S. average, which is 2,451 property crimes per 100,000 residents.

Within the city, 156 vehicles were stolen in 2016, FBI data shows, a rate of 119 per 100,000 residents. The national average is 236 incidents per 100,000 people.

Surprise Safety Requirements

Front-seat occupants of vehicles must wear seat belts, along with any passenger under age 16, according to Arizona state law. Children under age 8 or under 4 feet, 9 inches tall must ride in a car seat or booster. Seat belt laws are a secondary offense, meaning you won’t be ticketed unless you are pulled over for something else. Teen drivers in Arizona are banned from using cellphones. Neither the state nor Chandler has a law banning texting while driving, however.

Surprise Impaired Driving Laws

If you are pulled over and a test shows you have an blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher – or .04 for commercial drivers, or if a blood alcohol or drug test result is not available, you will lose your driving privilege on the spot, states the Arizona Department of Transportation. If you are under 21, your license may be suspended if there is any alcohol concentration at all. First offenders get 10 days or more in jail, at least a $1,250 fine and must undergo alcohol education or treatment. Also, an ignition interlock device and community service are required. For more information on how to find cheap car insurance in Surprise, contact us today.