Potholes and the damage it causes!

So, you hit a pothole and it was loud...

Did it do any damage? How do you know where to check for damage? Is your tire going to slowly leak until it’s inconvenient for you to get a flat? Let us help you out in this slightly confusing situation!

What causes a pothole?

When water droplets get into the pavement (from rain or snow) and the pavement then freezes, which causes the pavement to expand. Then, when it thaws out, the pavement starts to crack and crumble. 

It’s also possible that potholes can arise from construction projects too.

How to avoid potholes

Obviously, drive around them, but most times this isn’t possible due to lack of visibility from other drivers/bikers/pedestrians/animals in the way.

Keep enough space between yourself and the driver in front of you. This way, you can watch their actions-swerving out of the way, sudden braking (signs of distracted and drunk driving, so keeping a safe distance is probably better anyway). This also allows you more time to spot the potholes (a fun game for your passengers to play too!)

Reduce your speed, especially in the rain and at night-you can’t see how deep or wide the potholes are with water or darkness in/around them. 

Drive the roads you know to know where potholes are or lack thereof. Although, potholes can literally form overnight, so still be wary and drive slower.

How to drive over one when there is no where else to go.

Keep your tire pressure up to your car manufacturer’s standards (and not too high-this can cause a flat quickly). This can help avoid flats from a pothole.

Drive slower by braking before you hit the pothole; this can alleviate some of the impact from the pothole to the vehicle

Try to maintain control of the steering to avoid any further damage.

What can be affected after hitting a large pothole:

• Alignment knocked out of whack
  
• Tire puncture, damage or wear (apparent). May need a tire rotation and balance.
  
• Wheel rim damage (mainly on aluminum rims). Can cause a vibration when driving or the balancing weights can be knocked off.
  
• Premature wear on shocks and struts
  
• Suspension damage (could be broken)
  
• Steering system misalignment and damage
  
• Exhaust system damage (can make funny noises post hit)
  
• Engine damage
  
• Uneven tire wear (long term effect)
  
• Early replacement of tires (long term effect)
  
• Undercarriage can be dented or punctured, causing fluid leaks and possible rust formation in the future.
  

Get your car checked ASAP if you suspect any of this.

Car inspection post pothole hit:

• Go for the tires first: Check for bulging, slits, holes or bent and damaged rims
  
• Pay attention to the way the car drives after: If it starts pulling to one side, it  could be an alignment problem.
  
• If it feels wobbly, squeaks or has vibration issues- it could be the struts or shocks.
  
• The breaks feel really touchy- it could be a brake problem or shock problem.
  
• If the steering wheel is crooked while going straight, the vehicle has become misaligned.
  
• Just get the vehicle checked out in a timely manner of anything seems wonky with your car; better safe than sorry.

Should you file an insurance claim?

If you have collision coverage, the insurance company can cover some of the costs...minus your deductible (which can be anywhere from 250$ to 1000$). So you have to ask yourself if it’s worth it to even file a claim; your insurance rates could go up after a claim filed under collision too. However, if the damage is major and seems worth it to file a claim, then go ahead.

A lot of drivers opt for skipping collision coverage to keep down on costs or they just don’t care enough about their car. However, when leasing or financing a car, it is required to have collision coverage on your policy. You have to check into what type of coverage the insurance company will cover; some will not pay for tire damage, as it may be considered wear and tear.

Sometimes, there are potholes on major roads and highways, which may cause an immediate flat to your car, leading to an accident. Then the liability coverage would come into play for the other driver(s) and collision would still be for your car. Any tire damage would likely be covered if there was enough damage to to the rest of the car.

Can the state cover the costs or damage to your vehicle?

So you hit a pothole and the damage is seemingly going to be expensive, but you don’t want to put a claim through your insurance company...well the state may be of help. 

First, the state needs to be aware of or notified about the pothole. Hopefully, they already knew about it, but it’s best to let them know via their form for pothole damage on the treasury’s website. But, if the pothole was on the turnpike or expressway type roads, you must make them aware on their personal websites.

For the damage claim, make sure you have a receipt of repairs, an estimate, a police report (if applicable, location and pictures (if applicable). It also has to be within 90 days of damage.

For the treasury, they have 3-6 months from date of awareness of said pothole to get back to you and fix it. Sometimes, you may be redirected to whoever is in charge of road construction, if they are the reason for the pothole. 

Now, your hopes may be up about a reimbursement for that flat tire, the state rarely pays and when they do, it’s not always the full cost of the repair or estimate. There are a  ton of factors that go into deciding who to pay out and who to deny. They generally feel motorists are partially responsible for not swerving around them.

Pedestrians and bikers watch out too; potholes can cause serious damage to you if you hit, ride or fall into one.