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It’s pothole season again!
Of course, if you drive in Chicago, your car is already intimately aware of the craters popping up on streets across the city.
Even though this year’s mild winter has resulted in much fewer potholes than recent years, the potholes never go away completely.
According to a new study from AAA, potholes take an extreme financial toll on drivers and the economy costing U.S. motorists an estimated $3 billion every year.
“In the last five years, 16 million drivers across the country have suffered pothole damage to their vehicles,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “The problems range from tire punctures and bent wheels, to more expensive suspension damage.”
AAA says drivers, especially those with lower incomes are apprehensive about the chance of hitting a pothole hard enough to incur vehicle damage due to the cost of repairs.
“On average, American drivers report paying $300 to repair pothole-related vehicle damage,” continued Nielsen. “Adding to the financial frustration, those whose vehicles incurred this type of damage had it happen frequently, with an average of three times in the last five years.”
To minimize vehicle damage, AAA urges drivers to ensure tires are properly inflated and have adequate tread depth, as they are the only cushion between a pothole and the vehicle. If a pothole strike is inevitable, it is also critical that drivers slow down, release the brakes and straighten steering before making contact with the pothole. To avoid potholes in the roadway, drivers should remain alert, scan the road and increase following distances behind the vehicle ahead.
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