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The Pothole Problem Plaguing the UK

17 August 2018

Poor weather conditions throughout the early section of 2018 have caused roads across the country to dilapidate into disrepair. Repeated cycles of expanding and contracting as water freezes and melts through cracks in the bitumen has weakened roads across the UK causing cracks that eventually expand into potholes. This exacerbated pothole problem stretches across approximately 24,000 miles across the UK and costs as much as £1million when the monthly claims from drivers whose cars have been damaged come calling.

The pessimist may say that potholes are a problem; and if so, are we not all a little bit pessimistic? Companies such as Ford and Jaguar Land Rover however, are taking on a more optimistic viewpoint and developing new technologies to combat potholes, driving their brand to the front of the market. This new technology keeps your wheels from descending as far in to those cavernous black holes, using suspension locking functions that activate slightly before impact. As well as fitting suspension that absorbs the impact with a pothole in a way that is healthier for your vehicle. 

If you do not have a Ford and the latest pothole dodging technology however, it may be useful to know that damage obtained to your car can be claimed back from the council. As per most things to do with the council, the more substantial evidence you can provide, the harder it is for them to get out of paying you. So, upon impact or suspected damage, take photos to show the damage and report the location of the pothole. The Gov.UK domain maintains a page where you can easily report potholes. The claim for damages should be made to the local council that presides over the location of the incident.

To prevent this whole hassle in the first place, there are some widely acknowledged tips to protect your vehicle. Reducing speed or even diverting around the hole if it is safe to do so are the best ways to handle this road menace, but other little tweaks to the physical composition of your vehicle can also be beneficial. These include maintaining tyres at their optimum pressure as according to specifications in the manual and maintaining regular servicing.

Progress may be on the way however, with the department of transporting pledging to improve the road condition with the provision of £6bn in funds. The problem is, that damage to roads is a reoccurring problem due to the seasonality experienced by the United Kingdom. As soon as old potholes are fixed, new ones may crop up. Therefore, despite the very positive intervention from the government and subsequent injection of funds to the cause, it is much more positive to think that pothole damage prevention tips and technologies are being brought to the fore. Technologies that prevent against bad roads give you more freedom to traverse the country, without fear of damaging your vehicle.

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