National Pot Hole Day

Jan 15, 2024

Today is National Pothole Day. These roadside hazards are not only frustrating to encounter, but they also cost American drivers millions of dollars annually.

Potholes are created when moisture collects in cracked or crumbling pavement. As the temperatures fluctuate, the pavement expands and contracts due to freezing and thawing. The damage from the elements combined with the weight of cars driving over it, eventually leads to a pothole.

Inclement weather in winter and the subsequent Springtime thaw often see an increase of potholes. Drivers should exercise additional precautions while driving to avoid damage to their vehicle during these seasons especially.

Learn more about how to spot them and avoid costly repairs to your vehicle!

Tips for Avoiding Pothole Damage While Driving

Don’t drive through puddles; puddles can seem fun to drive through due to the dramatic water spray, but they may be deceivingly deep potholes.
Do not tailgate other vehicles. Maintain a safe distance of a minimum 1 car length for every 10mph of speed, or a minimum of 2 to 3 seconds of space between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Drive more slowly in the dark, especially if you’re on unfamiliar or unpaved roads.
Monitor your tire pressure and keep them at recommended PSI to greatly reduce damage to your wheels and tires.
Keep two hands on the wheel at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock position for optimal steering control.

What To Do If You Can’t Avoid a Pothole on the Roadway

Potholes can puncture tires, bend or crack wheels, damage a tire’s sidewalls, knock your wheels out of alignment, damage your shocks or struts, and even impact your suspension.

Here are two helpful tricks to saving your vehicle from costly repairs if an unavoidable pothole arises:

🟢 If you post the pothole in time, and provided the roadway is clear enough to do so, is to safely swerve around it and avoid driving fully into it.

🟢 Try to slow your speeds. If you continue to drive at a higher speed into the pothole, you can risk quite a lot of damage to your vehicle, so it’s best to slow down as much as you safely are able.

🟢 If you have to drive directly through it, drive straight and don’t brake while inside the pothole. If you turn your wheels or brake too late, it can place additional stresses on your vehicle and cause more damage.

If you can’t avoid a pothole, or didn’t see it coming and have driven into it, be sure to keep an eye out on the following:

🛑 feeling as if your car is pulling to one side or the other while driving

🛑 the car is bottoming out or bouncing

🛑 you experience shaking or tremors while driving

If you experience any of the above, you should bring your car in for maintenance ASAP. Worn tires, bent rims, alignment and steering issues can not only cause improper wear on your tires, but also cause accidents, decrease your fuel efficiency, and cause further damage to the car overall.