You may have noticed that there has been an increase of potholes in the UK, in the past decade. Worse yet, there has also been an increase in the number of motor accidents, per year, which have been caused by potholes. As in many cases, individuals choose to swerve from a pothole at the last minute and end up crashing into another vehicle or a barricade.
If you’re interested in learning about how you can avoid having your vehicle, being damaged by a pothole, you’ve come to the right place. Simply continue reading to learn how you can avoid becoming another pothole pandemic statistic.
Be careful when you’re driving in areas which are known for failing to fix their potholes:
It’s wise to be extra cautious when you’re driving on roads in areas of the country, which are notorious for failing to keep their public roads well maintained.
As an example, from 2018-2019 Surrey’s council received 3,533 requests for compensation for damage to their cars which was caused by potholes in Surrey. Keep in mind that this number only factors in the individuals who chose to seek compensation and that the total number of accidents which were caused by a pothole in Surrey during this time would be far higher.
However, it’s safe to say that if you plan on driving in Surrey you should drive slowly, so that you can decrease your chances of damaging your car. Other areas which feature a lot of potholes include Bury, Northamptonshire, Cumbria and Hertfordshire.
Drive to the speed limit:
The faster that you drive over a pothole or the faster that you’re driving when you choose to swerve from a pothole at the last minute, the more likely it is that you’ll sustain serious damage to your car. So it’s a wise move to drive to the speed limit. So that if you do see a pothole up ahead, you have time to slow down and avoid it. Without crashing into another vehicle or a stationary obstacle. Such as a roundabout or a sign.
Report any potholes which you come across to the local council:
If you report a pothole, which you come across, it can be fixed by the local council before it has a chance to develop further. As the larger a pothole is, the more damage it can do to individuals’ cars. Including your own car.
Try to use roads which are well maintained:
It’s also a smart move to use roads which are well maintained. Instead of roads which receive little attention from their councils.
What to do if your car is damaged as the result of a pothole:
If you end up damaging your car as a result of a pothole which is located on public land, you may be able to seek compensation from the council who is responsible for the upkeep of the road, which your car was damaged on. As it’s the local councils, who are legally responsible for ensuring that their roads are safe to drive on. As ratepayers pay their councils to take care of their local roads.
If you follow all of the tips which have been outlined above, you should be able to significantly decrease your chances of damaging your vehicle on a pothole on a badly maintained road.
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