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/
