Potholes driving motorists potty
It has been revealed that the number of accident claims for pothole damage to vehicle car bulbs, windscreens and other fittings on UK roads has ballooned by 600%.
At the start of 2010 in January, drivers were advised to be on the lookout for invisible potholes on the roads.
Such damage to routes is caused by a combination of wet weather conditions. Therefore, when a pothole is filled with water, it is difficult to see. As a result, the risk of a road accident claim is much higher.
An insurance group estimated that companies shell out £2.85 million per month for pothole compensation claims.
Director of the firm, Simon Douglas, explained that this is equivalent to about 1,900 claims. He added: “But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, because it takes serious damage to make it worth insurance claim.
“Garages and tyre centres are dealing with countless thousands of punctured tyres, damaged tracking or broken springs which don’t justify making a claim.”
Advice to drivers
Due to the high number of damage caused to vehicles by potholes, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has urged motorists to be wary of potholes in the roads and the impairment they could potentially cause to car bodywork, lights and tyres.
Peter Rodger, the organisation’s chief examiner, said there are a number of things road users can do in order to prevent motor damage and what they should do after encountering one.
He explained: “If you do hit a pothole accidentally, make a point of checking not just the outer tyre wall but the inner tyre wall, which may have been damaged as a result.”
Should a motorist come across a pothole, they should report it to their local council as this could help to prevent a further accident, the IAM representative concluded.
His advice came after the publication of a paper by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, which suggested there is a pothole every 120 yards on UK roads.
Mr Rodger also noted that the upcoming bank holiday is likely to result in more traffic on the roads, meaning people need to be even more careful and safety aware.
Pothole mania
The advice of what to do when encountering a pothole is vital, especially after it emerged that drivers are paying £600 million a year to repair vehicles destroyed by disastrous routes.
The bill soared by almost 50% in the last 12 months, with holes in the road estimated to be causing £1.5million in damage daily.
Duncan McClure Fisher, managing director of a pothole webpage, which was set up by Warranty Direct to campaign for better road repairs, stated: “It’s been over a month since the icy weather, yet our roads still resemble Swiss cheese.
“Some potholes have been repaired but there is still a vast number and the roads are still getting worse. Unless the authorities get on with the job right away, more cracks will open and we’ll be caught in an unending cycle.
“We are expecting to see a hefty rise in the number of repairs motorists are having to deal with and, as garage labour rates get ever higher, they will be paying more for the work, too.”
Updated on 10/03/2010