Drivers warned to ‘avoid puddles’ to prevent pothole damage | UK | News

Drivers are being advised to “avoid puddles” after a record month of pothole-related breakdowns.

The AA issued the guidance as it revealed it had 52,541 callouts last month for vehicles damaged by road defects – the most on record for October. It is a 12% increase compared with the same time last year. AA callouts for pothole-related breakdowns for 2023 stand at nearly 511,000. This represents a daily average of around 1,400.

Common vehicle problems include punctures, distorted wheels, damaged shock absorbers and broken suspension springs.

Potholes are often formed when water enters cracks in the road surface, then freezes and expands. Garage repair data analysed by the RAC shows drivers are paying an average of £440 if their car needs fixing after hitting a pothole for any damage more serious than a puncture.

The cost of bringing pothole-plagued roads in England and Wales up to scratch has been estimated at £14billion.

This month Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to tackle “the scourge of potholes” with an extra £8.3billion for local roads maintenance in England. It uses money saved by scrapping HS2 north of Birmingham.

Tony Rich, AA public relations manager, said: “Continuous poor weather and storms such as Babet, Ciaran and Debi are having a two-fold effect on driving conditions.

“What feels like relentless rainwater is covering and increasing the severity of potholes, while also holding back essential road repairs by diverting maintenance crews to tackle fallen trees and flooded areas.

“Our advice to drivers and those on two wheels is to avoid puddles where safe to do so. But if there is no alternative other than to travel through, then reduce your speed and keep an increased distance from the vehicle in front.”

A Government spokesman said: “The additional £8.3billion, the biggest ever increase in funding for local road improvements, is enough to resurface 5,000 miles of roads.” Darren Rodwell, of the Local Government Association, said: “Investing in cost-effective and resilient roads resurfacing, rather than retrospectively dealing with potholes, is a priority for councils. “The recently announced extra £8.3billion of funding will help with bringing more of our local road network up to scratch.”