One in three have broken their car as a result of driving over a pothole in the road, with punctured tyres, suspension issues and damaged alloys the most common problems
One in three vehicles have been damaged by a pothole – costing an average of £164 to fix. A survey of 2,000 car owners revealed that 32% have suffered damage to their vehicle after driving over a pothole, with punctured tyres (55%), suspension issues (28%) and damaged alloys (26%) being the most frequently reported problems.
But it’s not just cars bearing the brunt, as more than one in 20 (6%) drivers have sustained physical injuries, including whiplash, back and neck pain after hitting a pothole.
Potholes have emerged as the number one bugbear for motorists – with nearly half believing road conditions have deteriorated over the last five years, and 21% describing the current state of Britain’s roads as ‘very poor’.
Research reveals that 22% of drivers claim to dodge a minimum of 11 potholes on a typical journey, while 37% are forced to swerve to avoid a dip in the road.
CarSupermarket.com, which commissioned the study, has stepped in to help motorists by repairing and reconditioning potholes in line with its refreshed branding and wider focus on reconditioned vehicles.
The new approach centres on carefully reconditioning previously loved vehicles, restoring them to high quality standards before a new driver takes ownership and cherishes them once more.
“Potholes are a persistent problem for drivers,” Matt Barrick, CEO of the motoring brand, said. “We were keen to tackle the primary problem for motorists by reconditioning potholes and relieving some of that anxiety they face when taking to the road.”
The OnePoll.com study found that alongside potholes, motorists were furious about drivers not indicating (59%), tailgating (57%) and drivers on the phone (54%). Further irritants include parking across two spots (48%) and pedestrians crossing the road without looking (40%).
When faced with their frustrations, 43% will rant to themselves, while 24% will beep their horn and 17% have gone as far as to swear at the offending party.
On average, motorists consider themselves superior drivers compared to others on the road, rating themselves 7.45 out of 10 and fellow drivers 5.97.
Matt Barrick of CarSupermarket.com added: “It is no surprise to see people feel roads have gotten worse, whenever there is a cold snap, it feels like more craters appear overnight.
“It is very easy to report a pothole or damage to a road, you visit your local council’s website where you can report damaged road surfaces, or you can report it by phone.
“Once you have reported it, councils will investigate the damage within 10 working days where they will decide to fix the problem, add it to a list of long-term works or decide no further action is needed.”
