Potholes, the nightmare of the roads and highways that are dangerous

Driving these days is hard enough without any extra distractions. With so many cars on the roads and gridlock when people drive to work, keeping your concentration is important. But drive on the UK roads, and you will see and feel potholes.

So, what’s a pothole? It is a hole in the tarmac or road that you can drive into or through. Some potholes can be as deep as 6 inches and 2 feet wide, but a lot are just holes. Nowhere is safe from them if you have a road, it can get potholes.

Potholes develop when water seeps into tiny cracks in the road surface, usually caused by traffic over a period. When this water freezes, it expands and then, when it thaws, it gets smaller. This starts to make the cracks bigger, further weakening the road and increasing the amount of water that can get under the surface. As the road surface weakens, traffic breaks it up to create a small hole, which expands as more traffic passes over.

There are many dangers with potholes in the road. You can get vehicle damage. Potholes can cause serious damage to vehicles like punchers, as well as suspension and wheel alignment problems. Repairs can be costly, and vehicle safety can be compromised. It’s not just motorists that suffer, it’s the motorcyclists, bicycle riders and pedestrians.

Decreased visibility can contribute to accidents, particularly on high-speed roads or motorways. Exposure to potholes can induce stress, anxiety, and driver fatigue, affecting motorists’ mental well-being and overall road safety. The fear of potholes may deter individuals from using certain routes or travelling altogether.

With road tax increasing yearly, where are our taxes going?  Our roads in areas are unfit for purpose. They are dangerous and damaging and need to be addressed quickly. But what happens if you damage your car? Can you do anything about it?

“If your car is damaged by a pothole, you may be able to claim compensation from your car insurance provider. However, the success of your claim will depend on whether the pothole has already been reported to the appropriate authority. If it has not, you may not be able to claim compensation. To make a claim, you will need to provide evidence of the damage, such as photos and repair invoices, and contact your insurance provider to discuss the claim” (moneysavingexpert.com)

Either way, we are the losers. We can pay our road tax and get second-rate roads to drive on. As the roads get busier, we need to keep safe and watch the road. Until the government start listening to its constituents, we will get nowhere. Temporary repairs are useless, and sometimes they last days, not months. 

Keep motoring and be vigilant.