Amarillo, TX Statistics | Details |
---|---|
Population | 199,826 |
Density | 2,224 people per square mile |
Average Cost of Car Insurance | $6,169 |
Cheapest Insurance Company | USAA (military only) or State Farm (general population) |
Amarillo may not be near any major Texas cities, but there is still plenty to do there. From canyons to ranches, Amarillo boasts a variety of attractions and unique sites.
If you are driving a car around Amarillo, Texas, to visit these places, then you’re probably concerned about how to get the best rate on car insurance. If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Our guide to Amarillo will cover everything you need to know about the city, from car insurance rates to local crimes. So if you want to be as prepared as possible for living and driving around Amarillo, keep reading.
Do you want to start comparing rates today? Enter your ZIP code in our free online tool above.
Table of Contents
The Cost of Car Insurance in Amarillo
Saving on car insurance allows you to put money towards things you actually want, like a weekend trip. However, it can be hard to know where and how to start saving.
With so many companies out there, you may be wondering which company actually has the best rates.
If you don’t know where to begin, this section covers everything you need to know about rates in Amarillo. We’ve partnered with Quadrant to bring you the following data on rates.
Does gender and age affect my car insurance in Amarillo?
How old you are and your gender both impact what you pay for car insurance. Age is an easy factor to unpack, as younger drivers have less experience than older drivers and are more likely to get into accidents.
Data USA says the average age in Amarillo is 33.7 years, which means most drivers will be paying rates for 35-year-olds.
Take a look at the table below to see what 35-year-old drivers pay on average.
Age | Amarillo Average Annual Rate |
---|---|
17 | $8,175 |
25 | $3,535 |
35 | $2,846 |
60 | $2,623 |
60-year-old drivers have the cheapest rates, while 17-year-old drivers have the most expensive rates. Now that you know how age impacts rates, we want to take a look at how (and why) gender impacts rates.
A male driver’s average premium in Amarillo is $4,294, while a female driver’s average premium is $4,048.
Why do males pay more? Studies on drivers and accident claims have shown that males are riskier drivers than females. So throw out the idea that females are poorer drivers than males, as research shows males are actually risker.
Now that you know how gender and age factors work, take a look a the table below.
Age | Female | Male |
---|---|---|
17 (single) | $7,421 | $8,930 |
25 (single) | $3,415 | $3,655 |
35 (married) | $2,802 | $2,889 |
60 (married) | $2,554 | $2,692 |
As expected, males pay more than females in every age group, and the older drivers become, the less they pay for car insurance.
What are the cheapest ZIP codes in Amarillo?
Location is another factor that insurers look at. This may seem odd until you consider location factors like crime, weather conditions, and natural disasters.
Take a look at the table below to see just how much location impacts rates in Amarillo.
ZIP Code | Average Annual Premium |
---|---|
79101 | $6,022.60 |
79102 | $6,116.81 |
79103 | $6,164.50 |
79104 | $6,279.10 |
79106 | $6,105.64 |
79107 | $6,382.14 |
79108 | $6,301.90 |
79109 | $6,178.67 |
79110 | $6,104.12 |
79111 | $6,127.69 |
79118 | $5,973.65 |
79119 | $6,012.50 |
79121 | $6,158.93 |
79124 | $6,472.86 |
79178 | $6,129.83 |
Rates can vary by as much as $500 depending on where you live in the city.
What’s the best car insurance company in Amarillo?
To answer this question, we are going to go through major companies’ rates to see which have the most economical options. It will also give you insight into what affects rates, such as driving records and credit scores.
So to see which company is best for you, stick with us as we go through rate data.
Cheapest Car Insurance Rates by Company
To start, we want to look at the top companies’ overall rate for drivers. This will give us immediate insight into which companies are more likely to save you money.
Group | 17-year-old female (single) | 17-year-old male (single) | 25-year-old female (single) | 25-year-old male (single) | 35-year-old female (married) | 35-year-old male (married) | 60-year-old female (married) | 60-year-old male (married) | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $9,381.63 | $11,391.63 | $4,587.06 | $4,811.86 | $3,703.17 | $3,757.13 | $3,661.65 | $3,661.65 | $5,619.47 |
American Family | $8,362.20 | $11,137.26 | $5,148.97 | $5,864.91 | $3,795.65 | $4,157.10 | $3,259.27 | $3,683.37 | $5,676.09 |
Geico | $5,662.47 | $5,909.80 | $2,845.20 | $2,872.87 | $2,623.11 | $2,802.14 | $2,466.10 | $2,752.10 | $3,491.72 |
Nationwide | $7,904.12 | $10,244.90 | $3,299.61 | $3,591.65 | $2,818.30 | $2,880.91 | $2,474.53 | $2,639.82 | $4,481.73 |
Progressive | $10,710.10 | $11,954.73 | $3,207.18 | $3,288.35 | $2,685.55 | $2,586.27 | $2,361.11 | $2,421.01 | $4,901.79 |
State Farm | $5,113.55 | $6,523.93 | $2,308.53 | $2,381.16 | $2,121.45 | $2,121.45 | $1,888.61 | $1,888.61 | $3,043.41 |
USAA | $4,811.08 | $5,347.96 | $2,510.61 | $2,771.69 | $1,869.94 | $1,917.91 | $1,763.66 | $1,798.47 | $2,848.92 |
USAA is generally the cheapest provider, followed by State Farm. However, USAA is only for military members and their families.
Make sure that when you shop, you understand what insurers charge for your demographic. Even if an insurer has a more expensive overall rate, it could have a good deal for your demographic.
For example, Geico is more expensive than State Farm overall, but its rate for 17-year-old males is cheaper than State Farm’s by about $600.
Best Car Insurance for Commute Rates
Insurers always ask about your annual mileage, as drivers who are on the road more are at greater risk of being in a crash.
The average driver in Texas travels a total of 15,533 miles.
This distance categorizes a driver as a long commuter, and most insurers will charge a few hundred more.
Group | 10 miles commute/6000 annual mileage | 25 miles commute/12000 annual mileage |
---|---|---|
Allstate | $5,490.76 | $5,748.18 |
American Family | $5,676.09 | $5,676.09 |
Geico | $3,422.44 | $3,561.01 |
Nationwide | $4,481.73 | $4,481.73 |
Progressive | $4,901.79 | $4,901.79 |
State Farm | $3,043.41 | $3,043.41 |
USAA | $2,811.25 | $2,886.58 |
Some companies don’t change their rates for commutes, but always take a look at the end price. While American Family doesn’t charge anything for a longer commute, its overall price is still more expensive than companies that do charge.
Best Car Insurance for Coverage Level Rates
Always check to see how much high coverage costs at a company, as high coverage protects you the best after an accident. However, some companies charge too much for high coverage, forcing you to go with medium or low coverage options.
Group | Low | Medium | High |
---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $5,495.42 | $5,573.10 | $5,789.90 |
American Family | $5,422.49 | $5,546.64 | $6,059.14 |
Geico | $3,343.48 | $3,461.39 | $3,670.31 |
Nationwide | $4,876.44 | $4,285.10 | $4,283.65 |
Progressive | $4,717.74 | $4,882.07 | $5,105.55 |
State Farm | $2,894.42 | $3,038.40 | $3,197.41 |
USAA | $2,773.71 | $2,840.80 | $2,932.23 |
The cheapest rates for high coverage can be found at USAA and State Farm, while American Family and Allstate have the most expensive rates for high coverage.
Remember, though, that the higher price you pay for high coverage should pay itself off after an accident.
Best Car Insurance for Credit History Rates
Credit score is an indicator of how trustworthy a person is at paying bills — which is why car insurers care about credit score. While some are working to ban the use of credit score as a price factor, it is still in play in Texas.
Group | Good | Fair | Poor |
---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $4,460.75 | $5,225.67 | $7,172.00 |
American Family | $4,164.26 | $4,800.44 | $8,063.57 |
Geico | $2,028.80 | $3,049.17 | $5,397.20 |
Nationwide | $3,740.79 | $4,303.66 | $5,400.74 |
Progressive | $4,387.60 | $4,755.24 | $5,562.53 |
State Farm | $2,136.06 | $2,682.03 | $4,312.13 |
USAA | $1,900.57 | $2,388.38 | $4,257.79 |
Poor or fair credit can cost drivers thousands of dollars. At American Family, going from good to poor credit will cost drivers roughly $4,000 extra a year, or $333 a month.
Other companies don’t charge nearly as much (Progressive charges just over $1,000), so make sure to shop around if you have poor credit. Otherwise, insurers will make it even harder to restore credit.
Best Car Insurance for Driving Record Rates
Drivers with poor driving records can expect to have higher insurance rates at all providers.
Group | Clean record | With 1 speeding violation | With 1 accident | With 1 DUI |
---|---|---|---|---|
Allstate | $4,448.65 | $4,448.65 | $6,668.71 | $6,911.87 |
American Family | $5,209.70 | $5,209.70 | $6,541.99 | $5,742.97 |
Geico | $2,960.44 | $3,828.47 | $3,878.97 | $3,299.02 |
Nationwide | $3,864.86 | $4,388.09 | $3,864.86 | $5,809.10 |
Progressive | $4,276.82 | $4,839.27 | $5,479.21 | $5,011.86 |
State Farm | $2,701.58 | $2,701.58 | $3,102.21 | $3,668.27 |
USAA | $2,150.51 | $2,470.92 | $3,115.54 | $3,658.68 |
You may have noticed that some providers don’t raise rates after an at-fault accident. This is because these companies have accident forgiveness, where qualifying drivers are forgiven their first at-fault accident at a company.
However, speeding tickets and DUIs will definitely raise your rates. So if you have marks on your record, make sure to shop around at insurers.
What are some car insurance factors in Amarillo?
It’s not just your driving record that makes insurers raise or lower their rates. Location factors are important, too. If a city has a poor economy, high crime rates, and high poverty rates, you can expect to pay more for car insurance.
So to see what the economic situation in Amarillo is like, keep reading.
Median Household Income
Data USA found that the 2017 average household income in Amarillo was $51,198. This is less than the Texas average household income ($57,051) and the U.S. average household income ($57,652).
While the difference isn’t drastic, it does mean that Amarillo households will have a greater percentage of their income going to car insurance. Since the average cost of car insurance in Amarillo is $6,196, most Amarillo households are spending about 12 percent of their income on car insurance.
That’s a hefty sum to be spent, especially because car owners are also paying for gas and vehicle maintenance.
If you’re now worried about how much of your income is being eaten up by car insurance payments, use our calculator below to determine how much income you spend.
Homeownership in Amarillo
Owning your own home can help save you money on car insurance. Insurers often offer bundling discounts for people who have a home and auto policy at the same insurer.
Amarillo has a high rate of homeownership, as it is just slightly lower than both Texas’ and the U.S.’ rates.
According to Data USA, in 2017, 61.2 percent of Amarillo residents owned their homes.
In addition, the average value of a home in Amarillo is $123,200, which is below the Texas average ($151,500). This is good, as it means homes are more affordable, making it easier for car owners to purchase a home and earn a discount on insurance.
Education in Amarillo
The colleges in Amarillo awarded a total of 1,960 degrees in 2016, according to Data USA. The largest colleges are:
- Amarillo College (awarded 1,743 degrees)
- Milan Institute-Amarillo (awarded 119 degrees)
- Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Amarillo (awarded 40 degrees)
Amarillo College is a community college that awards associate degrees and certificates.
So if you want to continue your education beyond two years, you will have to leave Amarillo to do so, as the colleges in Amarillo are community colleges or trade schools.
Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs
To paint a more complete picture of salaries in Texas, we looked at Data USA’s information on salaries by race and ethnicity for a common job and determined how much of those salaries are going to car insurance. Take a look at the table below.
Race or Ethnicity | Miscellaneous Managers' Average Annual Salary | Percentage Spent on Car Insurance |
---|---|---|
Asian | $107,939 | 5.7% |
White | $103,761 | 5.9% |
Two or More Races | $89,714 | 6.8% |
American Indian | $74,900 | 8.2% |
Black | $73,311 | 8.4% |
Other | $64,955 | 9.4% |
Other Native American | $60,677 | 10.1% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders | $49,959 | 12.3% |
Asians are the highest paid in the job category of miscellaneous managers, while Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders are the lowest paid.
This results in a marked difference in the percentage of income going to car insurance. Asians spend an average of 5.7 percent, while Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders spend an average of 12.3 percent.
Wage by Gender in Common Jobs in Amarillo
Gender wage differences are another set of data we want to take a look at. Below are the differences in wages between males and females in Texas for the same jobs.
Job | Male Average Salary | Percentage Spent on Car Insurance | Female Average Salary | Percentage Spend on Car Insurance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Miscellaneous Managers | $113,924 | 5.4% | $79,734 | 7.7% |
Elementary and Middle School Teachers | $51,746 | 11.9% | $46,591 | 13.2% |
Retail Salespersons | $48,352 | 12.7% | $31,348 | 19.6% |
Drivers/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers | $47,130 | 13% | $34,651 | 17.8% |
Cashiers | $26,226 | 23.5% | $20,277 | 30.4% |
In every job category, males make more than females. In fact, Data USA found that in Texas, male employees make 1.41 times more than female employees.
This is a significant wage disparity, and it means that females suffer more when it comes to car insurance payments, as they have less money to spare.
Poverty by Age and Gender in Amarillo
After seeing the glaring wage disparities, it makes sense that more females than males struggle with poverty in Amarillo. Data USA found that the following three demographics struggle the most with poverty in the city:
- Females ages 25 to 34
- Females ages 18 to 24
- Females under five
Take a look at the table below for a further breakdown of poverty by gender and age.
Age | Percentage of Males Living in Poverty | Percentage of Females Living in Poverty |
---|---|---|
<5 years | 5.57% | 6.62% |
5 years | 1.23% | 0.793% |
6 to 11 years | 5.77% | 6.35% |
12 to 14 years | 2.78% | 2.88% |
15 years | 1.15% | 0.697% |
16 to 17 years | 1.3% | 2.16% |
18 to 24 years | 5.65% | 8.06% |
25 to 34 years | 6.1% | 9.2% |
35 to 44 years | 4.65% | 5.97% |
45 to 54 years | 3.22% | 4.22% |
55 to 64 years | 3.23% | 4.82% |
65 to 74 years | 1.67% | 2.62% |
75+ years | 1.18% | 2.08% |
There is a high percentage of children under five living in poverty in Amarillo.
In fact, Data USA found that 16.4 percent of the population living in poverty in Amarillo live below the poverty line. This is worse than the national average, in which 13.4 percent of those living in poverty live below the poverty line.
Poverty by Race and Ethnicity
We’ve covered age and gender, and now we want to take a look at poverty by race and ethnicity. According to Data USA, the following numbers were recorded in 2017.
- 23,467 whites living in poverty.
- 15,257 Hispanics living in poverty.
- 3,800 blacks living in poverty.
- 1,803 Asians living in poverty.
- 1,685 two or more races living in poverty.
- 1,182 Other living in poverty.
- 144 Native Americans living in poverty.
Whites had the highest number of people living in poverty, followed by Hispanics.
Employment by Occupations in Amarillo
The good news is that employment in Amarillo grew slightly from 2016 to 2017 at a rate of 0.111 percent. While this isn’t a high percentage, it is still some growth.
Hopefully, this will help alleviate some of the poverty in Amarillo. As for the most common occupations, Data USA found them to be:
- Office and Administrative Support Occupations (12,915 people)
- Sales and Related Occupations (10,985 people)
- Management Occupations (7,771 people)
If you have a degree or experience in one of these occupations, it is one of the most common job fields in Amarillo.
Driving in Amarillo
If you’ve never driven in a city before, it can be a bit overwhelming. Even if you are a pro at navigating city streets, every city is different in what you need to watch out for.
If you want to be prepared for driving around Amarillo, this section covers everything from roads in Amarillo to vehicle theft. So keep scrolling to see what Amarillo city has in store for your vehicle.
What are the major roads in Amarillo?
To begin with, we are going to go over everything you need to know about the roads in Amarillo. This way, you can be prepared for what interstates cross through Amarillo and what traffic cameras to watch out for.
Major Highways
There are 25 active routes in Texas that contribute 3,500 miles of roadway to the state. Two of these routes, I-40 and I-27, run through Amarillo.
There are also more minor highways that cut through Amarillo, such as U.S. 87, U.S. 60, and U.S. 287. Overall, the city maintains “1023 miles of streets and 496 miles of alleys,” which is a lot of roadway to cover.
The good news is that there are no local toll roads in the city of Amarillo.
If you are planning on traveling to major cities like Dallas, though, you can expect to run into toll roads. If you want, you can purchase a TxTag and set up a prepaid account to save time on tolls. You will also get the lowest toll amount, which can save money in the long run.
Popular Road Trips/Sites
There is plenty to do in the city of Amarillo, making the city a fun place to explore on the weekends.
- Palo Duro Canyon – A beautiful State Park that is close to Amarillo.
- Cadillac Ranch – This ranch doesn’t have cattle, but it does have half-buried Cadillacs covered with graffiti.
However, you may want to venture outside the city for a fun road trip here and there. If so, here are some ideas of road trips to take around Texas.
- Haunted Road Trip: Great for people who love spooky movies and haunted houses.
- Natural Wonders Road Trip:. One of the sites on this trip is near Amarillo, the Palo Duro Canyon.
With some imagination and planning, you can have a great time exploring Amarillo and Texas.
Does Amarillo use speeding or red-light cameras?
Amarillo doesn’t use speeding cameras (they’re not allowed in the state of Texas), but it does have red-light cameras. Even though the use of red-light cameras was banned in June 2019 by Governer Abbott, some communities are allowed to keep their red-light cameras until their contracts are up.
Amarillo is one of those communities, which means you’ll see red-light cameras until September of 2022. So make sure to stop completely behind white lines, otherwise, you could wind up with a ticket.
What types of vehicles are in Amarillo?
Owning a vehicle gives drivers freedom, but it also comes with headaches like costs of repairs and gas. And in some cities, there are more headaches to consider, like vehicle theft, vandalism, or speed traps.
So to prepare yourself for vehicle ownership in Amarillo, keep reading.
How Many Cars Per Household
According to Data USA, the average Amarillo household owns two cars.
- 44.9 percent own two cars.
- 22.8 percent own one car.
- 20.9 percent own three cars.
- 7.15 percent own four cars.
- 2.4 percent own five or more cars.
- 1.88 percent own zero cars.
Less than 2 percent of Amarillo’s population lack a car.
Households Without a Car
A number of people in cities depend on public or alternate transportation to get around the city.
2015 Amarillo Households Without Vehicles | 2016 Amarillo Households Without Vehicles | 2015 Vehicles Per Amarillo Household | 2016 Vehicles Per Amarillo Household |
---|---|---|---|
6.10% | 4.20% | 1.73 | 1.81 |
The percentage of households without vehicles dropped significantly from 2015 to 2016, showing a number of households bought vehicles in that time period.
Speed Traps in Amarillo
Amarillo isn’t on SpeedTrap.org’s list of the worst cities in Texas for speed traps, but you still need to watch your speed. Cops usually hang out in areas where the speed changes, school zones, and highways.
This is a good thing, as speeding is a major cause of accidents, and the last thing you want is to speed in a school zone and harm a child. Still, to avoid a ticket, make sure to slow down in areas where speed traps are likely.
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Vehicle Theft in Amarillo
The FBI’s 2018 crime report found that there were 910 Amarillo vehicles stolen in 2018. If the thought of your car going missing makes you wince, parking your car in a safer neighborhood can help reduce your chance of it being stolen.
Neighborhood Scout, a great source to look at find out what crime happens in your area, says that the safest neighborhood in Amarillo is Lake Tanglewood/Palisades.
If you didn’t want to live near a lake on the outskirts of the city, other safe neighborhoods are as follows:
- Bishop Hills
- N Soncy Dr/Fm 1061
- Broadway Dr/W Cherry Ave
- Bell St/Estacado Ln
- W Mccormick Rd/S Georgia St
- Georgia St/W Farmers Ave
- S Western St/Arden Rd
- S Coulter Dr/Andover Dr
- W LOOP 335 S/Simpson Dr
You may be wondering why you should live in a safer neighborhood when you can just lock your car up in a garage every night. Unfortunately, the risks aren’t only for your vehicle.
In Amarillo, you have a one in 123 chance of being the victim of a violent crime. This is much worse than your average chance in Texas overall, where you have a one in 243 chance.
In 2018, the following violent crimes were committed in Amarillo.
2018 Violent Crimes in Amarillo | Murder | Rape | Robbery | Assault |
---|---|---|---|---|
Report Total | 12 | 199 | 305 | 1,106 |
Rate per 1,000 Residents | 0.06 | 1.00 | 1.53 | 5.53 |
These rates aren’t great. In fact, Amarillo only has a crime index rating of four. What does this mean? It tells us that Amarillo is only safer than 4 percent of all U.S. cities.
To get a better picture of how much crime occurs in Amarillo, take a look at the table below.
2018 Total Crimes in Amarillo | Violent | Property | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Number of Crimes | 1,622 | 8,450 | 10,072 |
Crime Rate (Per 1,000 Residents) | 8.11 | 42.27 | 50.38 |
Amarillo has a high crime rate for its total crimes, over 50. If you choose to live in Amarillo, it is definitely worth investing in a home in a safer neighborhood.
How is traffic in Amarillo?
Living in a city means you’ll have to deal with more traffic than normal. In major cities, this can cost commuters hundreds of hours each year.
If you want to learn what traffic is like in Amarillo, as well as road dangers to watch out for, this section is for you. Let’s get started on deciphering traffic patterns in Amarillo.
Traffic Congestion in Amarillo
Luckily, Amarillo doesn’t seem to suffer from severe traffic congestion. It isn’t on traffic scorecards like Inrix or TomTom, which means its traffic isn’t heavy enough to merit researchers’ attention.
Transportation
Now that we know what traffic is like in Amarillo, we want to take a look at Data USA’s information on commute time.
The average commute time in Amarillo is 17.3 minutes or 34.6 minutes a day.
This is a great commute time, as the average commute time in the U.S. is 25.1 minutes (50.2 minutes a day). As for how commuters get to work in such a short time, Data USA found that the most common commute methods in 2017 were:
- 82.1 percent drove alone
- 12.8 percent carpooled
- 2.26 percent worked from home
The remaining percentage was made up of unconventional commute methods, like riding a bike or walking to work.
Busiest Highways
Once again, we have good news about the state of Amarillo’s traffic. None of the city’s highways made it into the top 100 most congested roadways in Texas.
While you may run into traffic on Amarillo’s busiest highways, I-40 and I-27, neither of these highways should have insane amounts of traffic.
How safe are Amarillo’s streets and roads?
We already talked about crime rates in Amarillo, so we aren’t referencing crime in this question. Rather, we mean what crashes and accidents occur on Amarillo’s roads.
That’s why we are going to take a look at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) data on fatal crashes in Amarillo. To start, we are going to go over the overall crashes that occurred in the city (Potter County and Randall County).
Amarillo All Crashes Fatalities | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Potter County | 26 | 20 | 29 | 32 | 22 |
Randall County | 14 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 10 |
More crashes occurred in Potter County than in Randall County. To see what caused these crashes, though, we want to take a look at the main crash types over the years.
Amarillo Fatalities by Crash Type | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Potter County Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver (BAC = .08+) | 12 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 9 |
Randall County Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver (BAC = .08+) | 6 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
Potter County Single Vehicle Crash Fatalities | 14 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 9 |
Randell County Single Vehicle Crash Fatalities | 11 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 6 |
Potter County Involving Speeding | 11 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 3 |
Randell County Involving Speeding | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Potter County Involving a Roadway Departure | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
Randell County Involving a Roadway Departure | 9 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
Potter County Involving an Intersection (or Intersection Related) | 4 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 3 |
Randell County Involving an Intersection (or Intersection Related) | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
The leading causes of crashes are drunk driving, roadway departures, and single-vehicle crashes. In addition, it’s not just car occupants killed in these crashes.
Amarillo Fatalities by Person Type | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Potter County Passenger Car Occupants | 7 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 6 |
Randall County Passenger Car Occupants | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Potter County Pedestrians | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 3 |
Randell County Pedestrians | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Potter County Pedalcyclists | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Randell County Pedalcyclists | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
There are few pedalcyclist deaths in Amarillo, which is encouraging. However, there have been a few pedestrian deaths over the years, with nine pedestrian deaths in 2017 in Potter County.
The NHTSA also recorded what the most dangerous road types are in Texas. Let’s take a look.
Roadway Type | Number of Fatalities |
---|---|
Rural Insterstate | 176 |
Urban Interstate | 402 |
Freeway and Expressway | 260 |
Other Principle Arterial | 982 |
Minor Arterial | 652 |
Collector Arterial | 600 |
Local | 261 |
Unknown | 10 |
Total Fatal Crashes | 3,343 |
Some of the more dangerous roads are arterial roads. This makes sense, as arterial roads are high traffic roads (highways). Minor arterial roads have less traffic, but they still see high volumes of traffic on a daily basis.
Even collector arterial roads have a high number of crashes in Texas, as these are the roads that take local traffic to arterial roads. So if you are driving on these roads, pay attention. It’s impossible to control the actions of the drivers around you, but staying alert gives you more time to react.
You should also keep a careful eye out when driving on the following roads, as the U.S. Department of Transportation noted highway and railroad accidents occurring in these areas.
Highway User Speed | Calendar Year | County | Highway | Highway User Type | Rail Equipment Type | Non Suicide Fatality | Non Suicide Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | 2012 | POTTER | HUGHES ST | Pedestrian | Freight Train | 0 | 1 |
0 | 2012 | POTTER | BULL RD | Automobile | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
15 | 2013 | POTTER | EASTERN ST | Truck-trailer | Light Loco(s) | 1 | 1 |
60 | 2016 | POTTER | N MCMASTERS | Pick-up truck | Freight Train | 0 | 1 |
2 | 2013 | RANDALL | 46TH ST | Automobile | Freight Train | 0 | 0 |
5 | 2015 | RANDALL | 46TH ST | Automobile | Freight Train | 0 | 1 |
Two crashes occurred on 46th street with freight trains, so take care at that intersection.
Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report
Every year, Allstate collects driving data and claims data to find out what top 200 cities have the best drivers. Amarillo made the report, so let’s take a look at how it ranked in the 2019 study.
2019 Best Drivers Report Ranking | 20 |
---|---|
Average Years between Collisions | 11.49 |
Relative Claim Likelihood (Compared to National Average) | -0.079 |
2018 Best Drivers Report Ranking | 18 |
Change in Ranking from 2017 to 2018 | -2 |
Amarillo ranked well in the study, beating out other cities for the spot as the 20th-safest city for driving. While it ranked as 18th in 2018, the slight drop isn’t that bad.
In addition, most drivers are only in a collision every 11.5 years, which is great.
Ridesharing
Ridesharing is usually easy to find in a city, which is great for when your car is in the shop, or you need a ride to the bar. A quick search on a rate comparison site like RideGuru will help you find the cheapest rideshare options.
However, rideshare options in Amarillo will usually fall into the following order for cost.
- Taxi. A traditional taxi ride costs a little less than rideshare options like Uber and Lyft.
- Lyft. Similar (if not the same) in price to Uber.
- Uber. Similar in price and function to Uber.
Luxury rides at Lyft or Uber will cost you more than a traditional ride, so make sure you are reserving a normal ride. Overall, Amarillo doesn’t have a wide range of rideshare options, as there are just three rideshare companies operating in the city.
E-star Repair Shops
After an accident, part of the process of getting your life back on track is finding a good repair shop. It can be hard to find a reputable shop, though, which is why you may want to check out Esurance’s list of E-star repair shops.
Unfortunately, there is only one E-star rated shop within 50 miles of Amarillo.
Drury Body Shop
3214 Commerce
Amarillo, TX 79109
P: (806) 358-8134
You will have to drive fairly far if you want to visit an E-Star repair shop out of the city.
What is the weather like in Amarillo?
If you are new to Amarillo, you may be wondering what type of weather you’ll have to prepare for, such as extra blankets or sunscreen. You also need to consider the weather when it comes to your car, such as adding snow tires or a sunshade for your car window.
According to U.S. Climate Data, Amarillo experiences the following temperature averages.
Weather Facts | Details |
---|---|
Annual High Temperature | 70.9°F |
Annual Low Temperature | 43.7°F |
Average Temperature | 57.3°F |
Average Annual Precipitation Rainfall | 20.31 inches |
Average Annual Precipitation Snowfall | 19 inches |
Amarillo is definitely chillier than other parts of Texas, as it experiences an average of 19 inches of snowfall a year. Amarillo has also had the following natural disasters occur in the city (13 total):
- Six Fires
- Five Hurricanes
- One Flood
- One Storm
- One Tornado
- One Winter Storm
If you were counting, you probably saw that the number of disasters added up to more than 13. Some of the natural disasters were assigned to more than one category.
For example, a hurricane may have also caused flooding, resulting in it being counted twice. While 13 natural disaster is about average, you may still want to consider getting comprehensive coverage on your car.
Comprehensive coverage protects drivers in the following situations:
- Theft. Someone steals your car from the street.
- Vandalism. Some local kids key your car.
- Natural disasters. A hurricane results in your car being flooded or heavy winds knock a tree onto your car.
- Animal collisions. You are driving late at night and a deer runs in front of your car.
Is public transit available in Amarillo?
The city of Amarillo has a bus system but no trains. The costs to ride Amarillo’s bus system are as follows:
- Full/Single Rides: $1
- Seniors 65+/Disabled: $.50
- Students K-12: $.50
- Age Five and Younger: Free
- Day Pass: $2
- Reduced Day Pass: $1
- Monthly Pass: $30
Amarillo also has a paratransit bus system (Spec-Trans) for those who can’t physically access a fixed route bus. Prices for the paratransit bus system are as follows:
- Single Rides (within service area): $2
- Single Ride (outside service area): $4
- Age Five and Younger: Free
- 20-Ride Pass: $36
Paratransit rides require more arrangements but are a great service to use in the city if needed.
Are other alternate transportation available in Amarillo?
Unfortunately, Amarillo doesn’t offer alternate transportation programs like Lime or Bird. So if you were thinking of renting a bike or scooter to ride around town, you won’t find one in Amarillo.
Is parking easy in Amarillo?
Most of the streets in Amarillo are metered in the downtown area. The nice thing, though, is that Amarillo uses ParkMobile (there are no physical meters or kiosks). This means that you simply download the app and pay from your car when you park.
The cost to park on the streets of Amarillo is $.75 per hour (plus $.25 transaction charge). Payment is required Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., so weekend parking is free in the city.
Parking time is also limited, as you can only park up to three hours in one zone. If you want to park for longer, you should seek out a parking garage.
As for satellite parking, you will find this at airports, train stations, and possibly hotels. Finally, if you need electric charging for your vehicle, you may have a little difficulty finding a station to park and charge at.
There are only 24 stations in the city, 12 of which are free. So make sure to charge up before you go, or have a charging spot in mind beforehand.
How is the air quality in Amarillo?
Vehicles contribute a vast majority of pollutants to the air we breathe, which is why city air is usually worse than country air. Breathing in this air every day can have a negative effect on our health, which is why it’s important to keep focusing on cleaning up our country’s air.
If you want to see what the air in Amarillo is like, take a look at the Environmental Protection Agency’s data below.
Year | Days with Air Quality Index | Good Days | Moderate Days | Unhealthy Days for Sensitive Groups | Unhealthy Days | Days Very Unhealthy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | 366 | 321 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | 365 | 248 | 103 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | 365 | 224 | 112 | 28 | 1 | 0 |
Unfortunately, the quality of Amarillo’s air declined from 2016 to 2018. The number of good days dropped, and the number of moderate days and unhealthy days for sensitive groups increased.
Hopefully, Amarillo will take notice of the problem and take steps to fix it before air quality continues to drop.
Military and Veterans
It can sometimes be hard to find a discount on car insurance as a military member or a veteran. Even if you can find a discount, it’s hard to know if the percentage saved is worth it.
To help you navigate the process of discounts, as well as military culture in Amarillo, we are going to cover everything from veterans in Amarillo to USAA, a military insurer.
Military Veterans by Service Period
Data USA found that in 2017, the most common service periods of veterans in Amarillo were:
- Vietnam: 3,728 veterans
- Gulf War (2001): 2,140 veterans
- Gulf War (1990s): 1,917 veterans
There was also a small amount of veterans who served in Korea or World War II.
Military Bases within an Hour
While there are plenty of military bases in Texas, none are within an hour’s drive of Amarillo. The closest base is Cannon AFB, roughly two hours away.
So if you wanted to commute to a military base, Amarillo probably isn’t the best city to pick. Luckily, military discounts are easier to find than military bases.
Military Discounts by Providers
The following providers offer military discounts in the state of Texas.
Company | Percentage Saved With Discount |
---|---|
Farmers | N/A |
Geico | 15% |
Liberty Mutual (must be active duty) | 4% |
MetLife | 15% |
Safeco | N/A |
USAA | N/A |
USAA also has a military garaging discount for customers. We also want to point out that even if a provider you’re considering isn’t on the list above, still ask if it has a military discount.
Sometimes providers don’t clearly advertise military discounts, but will still offer them to military members. Since USAA is one of the top military insurers, we want to see what its rates are like in comparison to other providers.
Company | Average | Compared to State Average ($) | Compared to State Average (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Allstate F&C | $5,485.32 | $1,556.98 | 28.38% |
Geico County Mutual Ins Co. | $3,263.39 | -$664.95 | -20.38% |
Nationwide CCMIC | $3,867.57 | -$60.77 | -1.57% |
Progressive Cty Mtl | $4,664.85 | $736.51 | 15.79% |
State Farm Mutual Auto | $2,879.95 | -$1,048.39 | -36.40% |
The Gen Automobile Ins Co Inc | $4,849.18 | $920.84 | 18.99% |
USAA | $2,488.12 | -$1,440.22 | -57.88% |
USAA Available in Texas
USAA has the cheapest rates in Texas. If you aren’t military, then State Farm or Geico are your next cheapest options.
Unique City Laws
Even if you’ve lived in Amarillo for decades, you may not be aware of all the unique laws Amarillo has about driving and parking. If you want to avoid a ticket, then familiarizing yourself with local laws is important.
To prepare you for some of the basic laws in Amarillo, we are going to go through everything from cellphone laws to parking laws.
Hands-Free Laws
The first law we want to go through is Amarillo’s hands-free law. The state of Texas has a ban on texting while driving and handheld use in school zones, but Amarillo takes the cellphone law a step further.
The city prohibits all drivers from using handheld devices within the city limits. This means that the only time you can use your handheld device is when parked (this doesn’t include stopping at stop signs or red lights).
If you break this law, the fine is up to $200 (plus court fees). However, it won’t be counted as a moving violation. This means that your insurer won’t know about it, as it won’t be on your driving record.
Or course, if you break this law and end up crashing, your insurer will find out anyway.
You may be wondering if the handheld ban applies to everything. According to the city, you can use a handheld device in the following situations:
- “To call for fire, police or ambulance in case of a bona fide emergency. That means there must be imminent danger to life or safety.”
- “To call a doctor, hospital or clinic.”
- “A government employee, first responder, or volunteer — but only while acting in an official capacity with an immediate need to give or receive necessary official information.”
- “A HAM operator using his or her radio is exempted by federal law.”
If your situation doesn’t match any of the situations above, then you are breaking the law. So when you are in Amarillo, put the phone away while driving.
Food Trucks
Mobile food truck owners who wish to operate in Amarillo must apply for a license and pass a mobile food unit health inspection. The following documentation must be submitted along with the application:
- Menu
- Equipment schedule
- Planned site location and outside equipment (such as a dumpster)
- Plan of unit
The process can be rather lengthy and extensive when applying for a license, but it is to guarantee the health of customers. Licenses and food inspections must be renewed and completed every year.
Tiny Homes
Tiny homes are also known as mobile homes. To live in one in the city of Amarillo, you will need to make sure you meet all the safety regulations and register your mobile home.
For instance, you will need to make sure you are hooked up to gas, sewage, and water.
Amarillo is actually working to incorporate more tiny homes in the city, in an effort to help the homeless. So you may see more of these tiny buildings cropping up around the city.
Parking Laws
In any city in Texas, it is illegal to parallel park with the driver side parallel to the curb. Why? Because drivers who parallel park facing the wrong direction have to pull into oncoming traffic.
Often, drivers do this when they are trying to snag a spot before someone else gets it. If you want to make sure you’ll have a parking spot, consider reserving a spot at a local parking garage.
Amarillo Car Insurance FAQs
If you still have a few questions after reading this guide, stick with us. We are going to go over a few questions that others frequently ask about living and driving in Amarillo.
What happens if I get into a car accident in Amarillo?
Texas is an at-fault state. This means that if you caused the accident, you are responsible for the other driver’s medical bills and property damage bills. If the other driver caused the accident, they will have to cover your costs.
Sometimes accidents don’t have a clear fault. In this case, the two insurers will work together to assign fault to the drivers. So if you were 40 percent responsible for the accident, you’ll have to cover some of the costs yourself.
What is the closest metropolitan area to Amarillo?
The biggest metropolitan area near Amarillo is Oklahoma City. Unfortunately, it is over 260 miles away. In this case, it may be better to fly.
Is Amarillo safe to live in?
We’d like to say yes, but the truth is that Amarillo does have a rather poor crime rating index. It is only safer than 4 percent of all U.S. cities, which isn’t a ringing endorsement of the city’s safety.
How do I find out if I have an open parking violation?
Visit the Amarillo City website. You can then search by your name to see if you have a parking violation. To avoid tickets, follow common sense parking laws, such as not parking illegally in a fire lane or in a disability spot.
When do I have to pay for my parking citation?
You have 12 days after the date of the violation to pay your parking citation. If you have six or more unpaid parking citations, your car will likely be impounded and towed.
We hope our guide proved useful to you. Did we answer all your questions? Hopefully, you now feel prepared to take on driving and living in Amarillo.
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