People’s driving patterns in Virginia Beach reflect both local life and regional activities such as working, going to school, serving in the military, getting medical attention, and spending weekends in other cities within Hampton Roads.

Many people who may live close to the oceanfront or Town Center will drive into Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, or up to the Peninsula to work or get services. Because of this regional movement, there is a high demand for dependable used cars, and the number of miles driven on a car is likely to be greater than in smaller cities with more separate neighborhoods.

For more regional context, you can review the Hampton Roads Planning District locality profiles and U.S. Census QuickFacts for Virginia Beach.

The road systems in Virginia Beach are designed to get commuter traffic across the Hampton Roads area quickly. I 264 is a major connector between the Oceanfront area and I 64, which connects to the interstate system, while Virginia Beach Boulevard (US 58) and Independence Boulevard serve as major traffic routes for shopping areas, neighborhoods, and job centers.

Traffic patterns change significantly during peak tourist season, with more cars on the road leading to the Resort Area and more traffic on the main routes leading to hotels, beaches, and events.

You can also see how visitors and groups access the region by reviewing travel options for getting to Virginia Beach. Local owners usually endure stop and go traffic that causes accelerated brake wear, suspension wear, and overheating of the cooling system, especially during periods of extreme humidity in the summer.

The costs to own a vehicle in Virginia Beach also dictate the timing of when to sell a vehicle. The City imposes a personal property tax on vehicles owned by individuals, and that annual cost can be harder to justify as the vehicle gets older, does not get driven much, or is nearing a major repair.

In addition, Virginia requires an annual safety inspection, which creates a decision point when inspections are costly on aging vehicles.

When the repairs are so expensive that the owner must perform multiple repairs just to pass the inspection, that owner is more likely to sell the vehicle rather than pay for repairs on a depreciating vehicle.

Coastal conditions play a larger role in vehicle ownership in Virginia Beach than in many cities, and salt air and humidity tend to cause vehicles to corrode faster than elsewhere, particularly under the vehicle and around brake components.

Repeated flooding and heavy rains also cause practical problems for vehicles, such as water intrusion, mildewed interiors, electrical issues, and rust that sets in faster than expected.

The City’s Sea Level Wise program and the Sea Level Wise case study highlight how Virginia Beach has recognized the importance and impact of flooding and sea level, and that reality affects how quickly certain vehicles will have issues in low lying areas.

Access to other regions also determines how people drive. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is the primary route from Virginia Beach to the Eastern Shore, and because it uses a toll system, that toll contributes to the cost of a longer trip.

Due to the costs of commuting, exposure to coastal conditions, and the ongoing need to maintain a vehicle to keep it fit for driving, it is common for people in Virginia Beach to review their driving habits every couple of years.

As a result, the used car market remains very active and there are a number of businesses in the area that allow people to sell their vehicles quickly and easily.

For anyone who needs to sell their daily driver, wrecked vehicle, or non-operational vehicle, having the ability to receive a fast quote, schedule a pickup, and receive payment at the time of pickup provides needed relief due to the amount of driving that is non negotiable in Virginia Beach.