Cheap Car Insurance in Spokane Wa

Find out more about Spokane before shopping for cheap car insurance. Along the Spokane River just west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, Spokane is about 100 miles from the Canada border and 20 miles from Idaho. Home to an estimated 216,000 residents, it is the third largest urban area in the Pacific Northwest after Seattle and Portland. Over the years, heavy industry has been replaced by hospitality, education and high-tech jobs.

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Driving Conditions in Spokane

Interstate 90 runs east-west through Spokane, which is largely set up on a grid system. In general, east-west roads are designated as avenues, and north-south roads are designated as streets. Division Street, which divides the city into east and west sections, is known as the major retail corridor and Spokane's most congested, especially during peak hours.

Compared to average U.S. Cities commute of 25.2 minutes, Spokane has a much shorter commute time at just 18.7 minutes, according to Census Bureau data. For traffic maps, cameras, construction and delay information, visit wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/spokane/.

Unique Laws in Spokane

A recently passed tougher distracted driving law in Washington prohibits using mobile devices even at stop lights or signs, but also targets other types of distracted driving such as grooming or eating. Eating or grooming while driving is a secondary offense, however, meaning you can only be ticketed for it if stopped for another offense.

In more rare and less enforced laws, it is illegal to buy meat or mattresses on Sunday, harass Bigfoot or other questionable species, or to walk around in public when one has a cold.

Spokane Crime Statistics

Finding itself on a few “Most Dangerous Cities” lists in recent years, Spokane has a higher crime rate than other cities its size.

The Spokane-Spokane Valley metro area landed at No. 11 on the National Insurance Crime Bureau's 2016 ranking of cities with highest vehicle theft rates, up from No. 25 the year before. The area had an auto theft rate of 624 incidents per 100,000 people based on 2016 data, compared to 444 incidents the prior year. The national average is 220 incidents per 100,000 people.

Spokane Safety Requirements

A recently passed distracted driving law taking effect in 2017 prohibits use of virtually all handheld gadgets behind the wheel, and includes composing or reading any kind of message, picture or data while moving or at a stop light or sign. Smartphones mounted on the dashboard for a navigational map are OK, but the new law permits only minimal touching of the screen to activate the device. Seat belts are required for everyone in the car, and the driver is held responsible for buckling or restraining all passengers under age 16. Children who reach age 8 or 4 feet, 9 inches tall, whichever comes first, must ride in a safety seat or booster

Spokane Impaired Driving Laws

Washington State was one of the first states to legalize the possession and purchase of marijuana for users over 21, though they may not resell it or grow it. It remains illegal, however, to drive under the influence of marijuana.

According to the Washington State Department of Licensing, you can get a DUI if you are affected by drugs or alcohol or both, and this applies to both legal and illegal drugs. Separate license revocations apply for a DUI arrest and a DUI conviction. The legal limit of blood alcohol levels is .08 for adults, .04 for commercial drivers and .02 for drivers under 21. In addition to license suspension, first offenders face jail time, fines, alcohol evaluation and a future ignition interlock device requirement.