15/01/2014

Wet Weather Causes Havoc On Britain's Roads as More Potholes Appear

This week, the RAC released a report that revealed accidents caused by potholes went up by 67% in 2013. It’s estimated that drivers spent a combined £100m on damage caused by potholes.

2013 saw over 28,000 incidents involving potholes, a staggering 67% increase from 2012’s figures. Devon, Cornwall, Kent, Northamptonshire and Sussex were the worst affected areas, but the rest of the UK has also suffered from poorly maintained roads. Some roads also face closure because they are in such a bad state.

Dave Bizley, Technical Director of the RAC, has said that local councils are falling behind in the maintenance of the nation’s roads. He told the BBC, “until (they) get on top of these problems, we simply won’t see a reduction in these kinds of accidents.”

The impact a pothole can have on a vehicle is staggering. Hitting a pothole can impact on the wheels, the tyres, damage the suspension system, cause premature wear on the steering arm, impact on the handling of the vehicle and cause cosmetic damage to the body of the car. The RAC estimate that repair work caused by potholes could total anywhere between £600 to £700. Naturally, if you have a lot of vehicles in your fleet that have been damaged by potholes, it could potentially cost you a fortune.

The recent bad weather we’ve had has made the problem even worse. 12,000 new road damages have been reported in Dorset in the last 2 weeks alone. Other reasons for poor road maintenance include the age of the road network plus an increase in traffic.

As the pothole problem gets worse, the government have pledged to spend £3bn over the next 5 years. But some councils are sceptical. Devon and Cornwall county councils estimate that they would need £1bn of their own, in order to fix their pothole issues.

Dave Weeks from the Asphalt Industry Alliance is also sceptical about the government’s plans. He told the BBC, the government’s “putting more money into road maintenance, but we’re not going to see that until 2015 and in the meantime the networks beginning to crumble.”

Clearly, the problem is going to get worse before it gets better, especially as the winter weather continues. But the RAC does have some tips to help you survive the worst of the potholes.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled For Potholes – Some potholes are harder to spot then others. Watch your speed as you approach and make sure you report any you do find to stop them becoming more serious.
Maintain Your Distance – Leave space between you and the car in front of you, so that you can see if they encounter any potholes.
Stay Alert About What’s Going On Around You – If you have to swerve to avoid a pothole, you need to be aware of other traffic and pedestrians that could potentially cause a bigger accident.
Watch your Speed – If you strike a pothole at a high speed then you stand more chance of damaging your car.
Don’t Brake Until You’ve Cleared The Pothole – By braking over a pothole, you are driving the weight of the car onto the front wheels, putting the suspension under stress.
Take Care – A good tip is to allow the wheel to roll into the pothole freely.
Keep Control of the Wheel – A road with lots of potholes might cause you to lose control of the wheel. Keep your hands in the 10 and 2 position, so that you have control at all times.
Lost Parts – If you find that bits of your car fall off after you’ve been through a pothole, then wait till you’ve reached a safe place to pull off before trying to retrieve them.
Safety First – If your vehicle gets damaged driving through a pothole, stop somewhere safe and inspect the damage.
Get Checked Out – Take your car to a reputable mechanic and ask them to check the car thoroughly for any issues that may be related to driving through a pothole.
Check Your Tyre Pressure – Know what your vehicle’s tyre pressure is, and keep it at that level as best you can. If your tyre is at the right pressure you stand less chance of sustaining damage from a pothole.

For more information, visit the RAC website.

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