Pothole breakdowns have hit a five-year high for the month of October.
The AA have reported today (27 November 2023) that 52,541 members had to contact them for assistance due to pothole damage to their vehicles. This is an all-time record for any October and a 12% increase compared to October 2022. October 2017 was the previous high at 52,152.
This is a 11.26% increase on pothole callouts in September 2023 where 47,223 members had to request assistance for pothole related breakdowns. That was a five-year high for the month of September.
The AA has dealt with 510,932 pothole related incidents so far this year. This is an average of more than 51,000 a month.
This means that the AA is set to attend over 613,000 pothole related incidents in 2023. That is 1,680 pothole breakdowns a day – more than 1 a minute.
A wet summer frustrated local authorities in clearing backlogs, with waterlogged roads being blamed for hiding potholes and a surge in pothole related breakdowns.
The AA has now issued guidance to motorists to avoid puddles. Easier said than done with shorter days and longer nights in the middle of winter.
Common problems caused by potholes include punctures, distorted wheels, damaged shock absorbers and broken suspension springs.
Garage repair data analysed by the RAC shows that motorists can expect to pay an average of up to £440 if their car needs repairs after hitting a pothole. This can be much more depending on the severity of the damage caused.
Pothole breakdowns and continuous poor weather
The AA’s public relations Manager Tony Rich added that natural weather systems the UK regularly faces are playing into increased numbers.
“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 rightly diverting roads maintenance crews to tackle fallen trees and flooded areas.
“The £8.3billion Road Maintenance Fund will offer some respite for drivers, but with the first instalment not being made until April 2024, the funding can’t come soon enough.
“We are also pleased that councils will be encouraged to use the money to resurface streets rather than patch and run. Ensuring the structural integrity of the roads is key to road safety.
“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.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to tackle “the scourge of potholes” with an extra £8.3 billion of funding from money saved by scrapping HS2 north of Birmingham. He described the investment as “unprecedented”. These funds will be made available to local authorities in England over 11 years.
The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey published in March 2023 cited that local authority highway teams in England and Wales needed more than £14 billion to clear carriageway repair backlogs.
How to claim for pothole damage
Knowing how to claim for pothole damage is becoming increasingly difficult due to Councils moving to a risk-based approach on claims.
REPORT IT
If you hit a pothole and you believe it has damaged your vehicle, you need to report it as soon as possible. You can do this via www.fixmystreet.com or www.fillthathole.org.uk or simply contact the local authority direct by phone or via Twitter.
TAKE PHOTOS
Take photos if possible to evidence your claim. If it is safe to do so, put your foot by the pothole or in it for scale. I would suggest measuring it as well but nobody carries a ruler for such events, hence suggesting this.
PROVIDE A SKETCH WITH YOUR CLAIM TO PINPOINT THE POTHOLE
You will be asked to help the local authority find the pothole as there are that many on the roads. A simple sketch will suffice.
GET AN ESTIMATE FOR COST OF REPAIRS / PROVIDE A COPY RECEIPT
You are seeking a full refund for the damage caused due to the negligence of the local authority. Include this in your claim from the outset.
SUBMIT AN EIR / FOI REQUEST
Ask for 12 months’ worth of inspection reports and how many times this pothole has been reported. When was the last repair made? Was it reported before you hit it? You can also find out how many times it has been reported via www.fixmystreet.com and www.fillthathole.org.uk.
This is just the start of the process. You can find out more in my book “How to Complain: The Consumer Guide to Cancelling Parking Tickets and Winning Pothole Claims”.
Parking tickets and pothole claims are the two biggest issues affecting motorists today. This is why I wrote a book because it’s something I often get asked about.
I have done the hard work so you don’t have to.
What do you think of the latest AA findings?
