Driving down the road, potholes seem to pop up out of nowhere and this can be a real danger for drivers. Have you ever been driving down the road and suddenly hit a pothole? If so, then you understand how dangerous potholes can be.
They are not only inconvenient but they can also cause damage to your vehicle and even lead to an accident. This means that you will have to spend a lot of money on repair costs and even more if it leads to an accident. Potholes also slow down traffic, which is especially frustrating when there are many potholes in the same area.
In this blog post, we will discuss why potholes on the road should be avoided at all costs!
What is A Pothole?
A pothole is a hole in the road, often formed by water seeping into cracks and soft spots. Potholes are usually round but can also be square or diamond-shaped.
The danger of these holes on the road comes from their depth – they may cause damage to vehicles, for instance puncturing tires or bending axles.
Mitigation measures include road resurfacing, which fills the potholes with a new layer of material; and cold-patching, in which an asphalt mixture is used to fill cracks or holes until they are resurfaced.
Dangers Of Potholes On You And Your Car
You might be one of the many people that don’t think potholes are a big deal. After all, they’re just a little bump in the road, right? Wrong! Potholes often cause major damage to your car and can lead to an accident if you’re not careful.
If you want to avoid costly repairs or getting into an accident altogether, read on for some helpful tips about how to spot and avoid potholes on your daily commute.
This damage, in turn, can lead to a cascade of mechanical problems and catastrophic human injuries, including the following:
Wheel Damage And Blow Outs
If potholes are tough on your wallet, they’re even tougher on the wheels and suspension of your car. The pothole’s rough surface can cause damage to both tires and rims, potentially leading to a blowout or other expensive repairs. In addition wheel alignment problems caused by potholes can lead to more tire wear which means higher fuel consumption and more potholes.
In the United States potholes are created by freeze-thaw cycles of water, which seeps into cracks in pavement and expands when frozen. In addition to shortening life expectancy on your tires, potholes can also cause damage to a wheel’s lug nuts or studs.
Steering Wheel Control Problem
The pothole can also cause a steering wheel control problem. The pothole will often push the car onto its side, which can then change how you steer your vehicle. If this is not taken into account when driving on roads with potholes, it could lead to an accident that otherwise would have been avoided if there had not been any potholes in the first place.
When pothole repair is not done in a timely manner, it can also cause accidents. This is due to the fact that potholes often draw drivers’ attention away from what’s ahead of them on the road – and resultantly people have less time to react when something does happen. If you feel like there are potholes nearby it would be best to avoid driving at night since bad roads will typically become more difficult for drivers to see.
If you don’t think any pothole patches or fixes could possibly help your situation, then call an auto repair service company that might be able to do better than nothing!
Exhaust System Issue
If the pothole is deep enough, your exhaust could become damaged as it scrapes or plummets into the ground. The damage can vary depending on what metal components are in contact with the pothole at any given time.
Stainless steel exhaust will not be affected by potholes; however, aluminum and copper pipes may become corroded over time if they come into contact with corrosive substances like saltwater that’s been poured onto a puddle of standing water to create ice.
Aluminum pipes might also corrode due to being scratched from hitting something sharp while driving through an icy patch of the road during wintertime.”
Injuries And Pain
If you’re traveling on pothole-ridden roads, there’s a good chance that your vehicle may sustain damage and the people inside could suffer pain. This is because potholes can cause jolt injuries like whiplash or concussions.
When cars drive over potholes, the impact can make people slam their heads against car windows. This can lead to brain injury. Pothole accidents are also more common in the winter when people drive fast because of snow and ice on the roadways.
The dangers of potholes extend well beyond the car; potholes can cause severe injuries, or even death, to pedestrians on the roads. Several cases have been reported of victims who fell into pothole holes and suffered fatal head injuries from hitting the pavement.
Need A Hand For Your Car Repair?
We hope you now feel a little more confident about taking care of your vehicle after hitting a pothole. If not, we can help! Our team at Dependable Car Care is always here to lend our expertise on all things car-related – no matter how simple or complex the problem may be.
Call us today and let’s get started with that repair job!
