Potholes- How To Avoid Damage To Your Vehicle
Posted on April 30, 2021
Sometimes, when we are driving down the highway of life, we can find ourselves stuck in a rut. That’s right, pothole damage and the risks of both personal injury and potential damage to your car make these pesky obstacles a very real source of road hazards.
Potholes form when water meets gravel, which is located under the road’s paved surface. They are more likely to form when the road already has a crack or a small crack, which makes way for the water. Due to uncertain weather conditions and changes in the climate (welcome to life in Canada, particularly come spring!), the water could become frozen on a chilly day or simply turn back to liquid form if the temps heat up. You’re left with the possibility that you could hit a pothole, and a particularly deep pothole could wreak havoc on your sweet ride. From causing tire damage to leading to a possible car accident when you are hauling the kids to school, potholes are simply not here to play.
Here at CarHub, we believe in road safety at all costs, as you zoom away in your new CarHub vehicle ready to hit the roads. Luckily, the correct service and maintenance tips, along with defensive driving, will make potholes less of a concern to yourself, your passengers and your car itself. Read on to learn more about everything potholes:
How to tell if pothole damaged car?
Larger and deeper potholes are more likely to damage your car than the miniscule, barely noticeable ones. Some of the biggest signs of pothole damage include low tire pressure, dented tires or dented rims and the feeling of being pulled in one direction or to one side (according to Economical).
What do potholes damage?
Unfortunately, potholes are able to wreck a variety of areas when it comes to your precious new CarHub ride. Some of these include damage to your steering wheel, your car’s alignment system and your suspension. Of course, potholes can also destroy your tires and even lead to blown out tires. Needless to say, you will need to book a car service appointment here at CarHub, so we can look after the aftermath of that dreaded pothole. We also recommend that you visit us for regular car maintenance and car maintenance tips, to keep your car in fighting shape for the city streets!
Can we report potholes and how quickly will they be fixed?
Yes, we can report potholes and the city will respond by sending out a crew to fix it. If you want to report potholes, be sure to call 311 to file your report.
According to City News, there are some heavy costs associated with potholes. Apparently, it costs $25 to repair each pothole in the city, and the city’s annual budget for repairing potholes in Toronto ranges from $4 million to $5 million. Of course, time is money- did you know that it takes 15-20 minutes for the average length of time to repair just one pothole? The city of Toronto claims to take up to 4 days to have potholes on high volume roads repaired, after receiving a report.
Also, it can take an entire month (30 days) to have a pothole repaired for side streets, which are typically smaller or less busy than high volume roads, and as a result, are a lower priority. The city also needs the power of people to make those potholes disappear, as there are approximately 25 city crews fixing these potholes on any given day.
Will city pay for pothole damage?
Our first thought when we have an encounter with a pothole on our daily commute may be that the city should be held liable for the damage caused by the potholes! While wanting the city to correct its potholes is certainly a logical thought (and cities and towns have a responsibility to keep their streets safe for driving), unfortunately, it can be challenging to win this case.
Just in case you want to proceed with making a claim, you can get information through this link about “Minimum Maintenance Standards for Highways in the City of Toronto.”
Time is of the essence, of course! If you are submitting a claim, it should be done within 10 days of the incident. Here is a link to the claim submission web form.
In most situations, pothole victims simply turn to their car insurance provider, which brings us to our next point!
Does auto insurance cover pothole damage?
Auto insurance just might be your best friend when it comes to pothole damage. Your insurance company policy will most likely cover potholes (which are likely considered a single vehicle collision). If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your insurance provider. Remember to have plenty of photos of the damage to your car, and also details such as the date and time of the incident. Remember to drive safely, be watchful for potholes or other barriers on the roads and enjoy your CarHub car!
Preventive measures you can take to avoid pothole damage
- Keep an eye out for potholes - if you leave more distance between you and the car in front of you, you'll have a better chance of seeing them and avoiding them. Be careful of swerving dangerously though.
- Pay attention to others on the road - you may notice cyclists and other cars swerving to avoid them.
- If you can't avoid a pothole, slow down as much as you safely can, and then just as you are about to hit the pothole, take your foot off the brake. Don't hit the brakes hard as you go over it. That's worse because you are shifting the vehicle's weight forward and hitting the pothole harder.
- Watch out for puddles too - there could be a pothole there.
- Stay off seams at the edges of the road where potholes often develop.
- Keep your tires properly inflated to you as much cushioning as possible. While this won't help with a deep pothole, it will handle the smaller ones.
If you hit a bad pothole, make sure you inspect your tires. Even if you don't see any visible damage, it's a good idea to bring your car to have it checked if you experience anything with the wheel alignment.