ATLANTA — AAA is putting out a warning to drivers to watch out for potholes after a more than a 50% increase in vehicle damages across the U.S. this past year.
A new survey from the automobile club found “the number of drivers who sustained vehicle damage from a pothole requiring a repair soared 57%.”
“Potholes can wreak havoc on your vehicle,” AAA’s Montrae Waiters said. “Driving over one of these can cost you hundreds of dollars in repairs. So be sure to keep a look out for these hazardous holes in the roads and be safe when driving around them.”
The average price for repairs for $406 per each one, AAA said.
The survey found an estimated 44 million U.S. drivers were hit with pothole repair bills, up from 28 million in 2021.
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AAA says there are several ways that you can try to avoid damage from potholes:
- Check your tires- this includes tread depth, tire pressure, suspension, and alignment.
- Tread depth- insert a quarter into the tread groove with Washington’s head upside down. If you can see the top of Washington’s head, start shopping for new tires.
- Tire pressure- check this at least once a month using a quality gauge. Do so before driving when tires have been at rest and are not hot. Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure found on a sticker inside the driver’s side door.
- Suspension and alignment- look for changes in vehicle handling, excessive vibration, or uneven wearing of tires, all indications of a problem with the suspension like alignment or shocks. If your vehicle pulls to the left or right, have the wheel alignment checked by a trusted mechanic.
Keep your eyes on the road:
- An alert and cautious driver is less likely to hit a pothole.
- Scan the road ahead for potholes, and if it’s safe to do so, drive around any in your path.
- Increase your following distance so you can see potholes as they appear from under vehicles ahead of you.
- Avoid driving through standing water when possible. Standing water or puddles may disguise a deep pothole. If you can’t avoid the area, drive through slowly and treat it as though there may be a pothole hiding beneath the water.
- If you can’t avoid hitting a pothole, safely reduce your speed and avoid braking abruptly, particularly as you go over the pothole. Striking a pothole at higher speeds increases the chance of severe damage including knocking the wheels out of alignment, affecting the steering, and bending or even breaking suspension components.
- If you hit a pothole, pay attention to any new or unusual noises or vibrations. If you detect something is off with your vehicle, take it to a trusted repair facility for a full vehicle inspection as soon as possible.
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