It never fails that when winter comes to to end and spring has started to sprung, the potholes come out of the wood works. Potholes that were not there last year suddenly appear. They are big, deep and just waiting for your tires to hit them.
When our winters are harsh the potholes seems to pop up more frequently in the spring. February, March and April are the worst months for potholes, according to Popular Mechanics, because roads are going through a constant process of freezing, thawing and then freezing again. That can lead to cracking, and when you add water to the mix, it’s a perfect recipe for potholes.
How to steer clear of potholes
Hitting potholes can really do a number on your tires, rims, and even your suspension depending on how deep the hole is. We get it, sometimes its too late to drive around them by the time you see it. Four simple rules to always follow when you are you avoiding potholes:
- Always drive at safe speeds, allowing your self plenty of time to react when you see a pothole ahead.
- Never tailgate when you are driving. When you tailgate it makes it more difficult to see the road in front of you making it almost impossible to avoid a pothole.
- Careful of puddles. Potholes hid in puddles making it hard for you to see to them. If its possible avoid and drive around large puddles on the road.
- Use caution at night. Nighttime driving makes it much harder to see potholes.
Never swerve suddenly into the opposite lane of traffic to avoid a pothole. This will make for a much worse situation then driving in a pothole in the first place.
You can’t avoid it
You’re driving and you know there is absolutely nothing you can do to avoid the pothole coming up. Best thing that you can you do it slow down your speed, but this doesn’t mean slamming on the brakes. Slowing your speed will help your car absorb the impact better.
Always hit the pothole with your wheels straight, because hitting at an angle can cause more damage.
Even if you have to hit a pothole, having a car that is well maintained can lower the chances of damage. So by keeping your tires inflated properly and making sure your suspension and steering are in good shape help your likelihood of getting out of the hole without being stuck on the side of the road.
The damage has been done
So you have hit the pothole. You can’t see damage but you can definitely feel there is something different when your car is driving. Maybe its pulling a little one side or its making a funny noise. Maybe you can actually see the damage for yourself. The best thing you can do is take to a mechanic to have it looked at.
Good news is that you most likely won’t have to pay for everything out of pocket to have it fixed. Do you have collision on your auto policy? Having this coverage, it will cover the damage minus your deductible. Best thing you can do is call us and talk to your agent about what coverage’s you carry on your policy.
Use caution on the roads, be on the lookout for hazards, and follow the tips above to minimize the impact potholes have on you this season! We get it that nothing good comes out of hitting a pothole in the winter and spring. But if that means summer is around the corner, isn’t that the silver lining?