Pothole pain despite payment to pave over the problem!

THE RAC has published data that shows that potholes are actually on the increase on the UK’s road network. The news comes despite the government pledging £2.5b earlier this year to fix the problem!

The data takes vehicle claim information and tally’s it against claims made for pothole damage. The data shows a 64% increase in pothole-related claims in the first three months of 2020. In that time there were 1,337 vehicles directly damaged as a result of potholes.

The RAC also conducted a survey of more than 3,000 people of which 38% expressed concern regarding the condition of their local roads and the lack of improvement. Of all the people questioned in the survey, 97% of the people who expressed concern named potholes as the reason.

Another worrying stat is that of all the people contacted for the survey, 52% of respondents stated that conditions had worsened in the last 12 months, with just 6% of drivers claiming that the condition of the roads in the area they lived had improved.

The negative public reaction to the state of UK roads ties in with call-out data received by the RAC. In the third quarter of 2020 (July, August, and September), the RAC saw more than 1,800 call-outs for broken suspension springs, damaged shock absorbers, or distorted wheels – all of which fit perfectly with the scenario of hitting a pothole.

If you’ve struck a pothole and need information on how to go about making a claim, head to: rac.co.uk/drive/advice/road-safety/report-a-pothole/