Potholes appear to be everywhere, but what damage can potholes do to your car? Those holes in the road are certainly frustrating and usually not good for your vehicle. You might feel a slight bump or a real thud and your car might veer to the left or right. Also, the vehicle’s steering could be temporarily impaired. If you are really lucky, you might just get away with it and have no damage whatsoever to your car. However, if your car is damaged, it’s important that you get it fixed quickly as it may compromise your safety whilst driving. In this article from K&M Tyres based in Crowborough, East Sussex, we look at how bad the problem is in the UK and East Sussex, signs of pothole damage to your vehicle and how K&M Tyres can help.
How bad is the problem of potholes?
Confused.com reports that almost £3m of damage is done to vehicles each year and that there are 900,000 reported. A BBC report notes that £93.6m was spent by local authorities filling potholes in during 2020-21 and one is being fixed every 19 seconds. Main roads and motorways in the England are maintained by Highways England with local councils responsible for the upkeep of more local roads. East Sussex Highways is responsible for pothole repair in the county with revenue funding coming from Council tax, business rates and Government grants. This money is used for safety issues posed by blocked drains, missing road lines and potholes. It is estimated that a pothole of approx. 0.5m x 0.5m typically costs £50 to repair.
What damage can potholes do to your car?
- Punctures
- Tyre bulges
- Wheel damage
- Wheel alignment
- Suspension damage
Punctures and bulges are common after hitting a pothole
Punctures are a common form of damage and driving through a pothole quickly can cause a tyre to crack leading to a puncture. Naturally, left untreated, the tyre will deflate and can go on to cause more damage to the wheel itself. Bulges can also appear in the tyre sidewall, which means this has been damaged and weakened. Again, bulges need to be looked at otherwise a full blowout might occur.
Wheel damage and wheel alignment can often be repaired
When considering what damage can potholes do to your car, you may find that a wheel may crack, bend and be generally out of alignment. This could lead to loss of control whilst driving. Often the wheel or wheels can be safely repaired. A trained technician at a good tyre centre will be able to advise you.
Suspension damage can lead to a loss of control
Hitting a pothole can cause your car suspension to become misaligned. If this happens, your tyres will be at an incorrect angle, which again could lead to loss of control. You may notice uneven wear to tyres or your car pulling to one side whilst driving. If your car appears to be bouncing or is making a noise, you may find your shock absorbers have broken. So it is important to get your steering and suspension checked.
How can K&M Tyres help if you have damage to your car caused by potholes?
We offer a FREE without obligation tyre check if you are worried about the condition of your tyres. Our trained technicians will carry out a thorough inspection and advise you on whether a tyre can be repaired or needs to be replaced. And if the only solution is a new tyre, we have a huge range available including all-season, summer, winter and run flat tyres including premium and budget brands. K&M Tyres is an independent family run business with an emphasis on personal service. Call us today on 01892 653131 to book your appointment. We also do a lot more than tyres and can carry out your vehicle servicing and maintenance requirements as well as MOTs, oil changes, air conditioning servicing and recharging and repairs to steering and suspension.
