Driving Tips For Pothole Safety

Potholed in on the UK roads have become an underlying issue to UK motorists, especially with the damage potholes can cause to your vehicle. This has caused us to simply drive around them to avoid any damages, however some potholes are unavoidable. The recent weather in the UK has seen a rise in potholes up and down the UK roads, according to a study by AA customer’s nearly 39% of members claimed their cars have been damaged by potholes.

What causes potholes?

Potholes are created by groundwater that has gone into the crevices of the road, the water freezes and expands. When temperatures warm the water melts leaving holes within the layers of the asphalt creating the layers to collapse, creating big enough divots to cause vehicle damage.

Pothole driving safety tips:

Drivers can take measures to make sure their vehicle and passengers are safe from potholes. Driving more sensibly by slowing down before a pothole will help reduce the impact a pothole may make, however braking directly on a pothole can create more damage to your car tyres. A good habit is also to create a little more space between you and the driver in front, this will help you to see the road ahead quicker, giving you the time to react to a pothole.

Keeping a firmer grip on your steering wheel will benefit your handling of the vehicle. When driving over larger potholes can sometimes take charge of the direction of the car, so by having a firmer grip you are able to handle the car over the pothole.

Making sure your tyres are in good condition is a good precaution to take when starting any journey, as poor quality damaged tyres will be affected more by potholes. It is recommended to have good quality tyres in good condition are better suited to dealing with potholes. Potholes can create tyre damage and even punctures, which creates problems and disrupt your journey.