Potholes are the bane of driving on public roads in the United Kingdom. One minute you’re having a peaceful drive on the way to work and then, bang! The vehicle is struck out of nowhere with a vicious hole in the road which not only interrupts your journey but also leaves you feeling anxious about the damage this may have caused to the vehicle.
In this article, we will be discussing everything you need to know about the United Kingdom’s pothole problem. Our goal is to answer some of the most common questions around potholes allowing you to understand the problem and play your part to help keep you and your family safe when out on the road.
What Is The Cause of Potholes?
During the colder months of the year, potholes can become an extremely common occurrence. With the cold winter nights leaving air temperatures dropping below 0°C, any water which has been absorbed into the road surfaces can freeze, expand and cause the road to crack and deprecate which leads to the potholes we see when out on the road.
There is not a huge amount that can be done to help prevent potholes from forming. Whilst the quality of surfacing and the lack of any lumps and bumps when the surfacing is initially being installed plays a crucial part of the puzzle, all roads can be prone to potholes. The fact that potholes can not be prevented means that the problem we face on the roads can never be completely resolved.
Do Potholes Damaged Vehicles?
Driving over a pothole is going to cause damage to your vehicle. Like any sudden lump or bump in the road, this is going to put a substantial strain on the suspension system and can even lead to the shock absorbers packing in. According to the RAC’s tyre partner, ATS Euromaster, hitting a pothole can also cause several wheels and tyre problems which can lead to you needing to replace your tires sooner than expected.
The UK’s Potholes Problem Explained
It is a legal requirement to pay road tax here in the United Kingdom. The money generated by this tax goes to help maintain the quality of roads and upkeep standards to make sure they are safe to drive on. But wait, in just one year potholes have almost £3 million worth of damage to vehicles in the UK. A statistic that is sure to frustrate many drivers, but with good reason. If tax is being paid to maintain roads and there is still a gigantic pothole problem, is this money being used wisely?
How Bad Is The Problem?
If you went around the UK and measured the depth of each pothole reported and added it all together, a job not for the faint-hearted, the figure is truly shocking. The total depth of potholes in the UK is 33,422m. That’s 3 times the depth of the Pacific Ocean. And the same height as 22,281 cars! So next time you’re heading down the road dodging pothole after pothole just know you are not alone, this is a countrywide problem and is causing a good amount of vehicle damage across the country.
What Is The Solution To This Problem?
To resolve the problem there must be a serious investment made by the government. 33,422 meters of potholes doesn’t just disappear overnight, it needs to be taken care of properly. This work must be subcontracted out to local surfacing companies in different areas throughout the country and the problem must be tackled countrywide. To help keep up with new potholes forming there should also be a quick and easy way to report them online. This means new potholes can be tackled quickly preventing them from worsening over the coming weeks.
