Advice
Reporting potholes and the damage they cause to your car
Potholes are becoming an increasing problem in the UK: here’s how to report a pothole and how to claim compensation if a pothole has damaged your car.
Words by: Auto Trader
Additional words by: Nimisha Jain
Published on 28 March 2023 | 0 min read
Potholes are hollow cracks and spaces in the road, formed by rainfall and icy conditions.
Once a pothole forms in the road, it can get bigger over time due to being exposed to extreme weather and traffic.
Once a pothole forms in the road, it can get bigger over time due to being exposed to extreme weather and traffic.
How do I report a pothole?
Reporting a pothole in England or Wales
If you come across a pothole in England or Wales, you can report it to your local council. To find out who your local council is you can head to Gov.uk and enter your postcode. If you want to report a pothole on a motorway or an A road in England, you can contact Highways England who are available 24 hours by telephone on 0300 123 5000, or you can email them on info@highwaysengland.co.uk. Reporting potholes to your council is important because it can help them get fixed quicker.
Reporting a pothole in Scotland or Northern Ireland
To report a pothole in Northern Ireland, you can head to NI Direct and mark it on a map. You can also track the progress of pothole repairs here. To report a pothole in Scotland, you will need to contact the local council. You can do this by heading to Mygov.scot.How do potholes cause damage to your car?
Potholes can cause damage to your car in several different ways, some of which could be hidden.
If you drive over a pothole, there may be damage to your wheels such as cracks in the alloys, cuts and bulges on the inside of the tyres, or even tyre punctures. Other indicators of pothole damage include unusual noise coming from the exhaust and fluid leaks. One of the most frequent types of damage caused by potholes is broken coil springs, which will cause uneven suspension. This is because the coil springs take the brunt of the force when you drive over a pothole. In addition to aesthetic damage, hitting a pothole can also cause alignment issues and broken track rods, neither of which should be left unrepaired as they can cause severe tyre damage and could even lead to you losing complete control of your car. There might be an alignment issue if your car isn’t steering straight, so this is something else you should be mindful of.
If you drive over a pothole, there may be damage to your wheels such as cracks in the alloys, cuts and bulges on the inside of the tyres, or even tyre punctures. Other indicators of pothole damage include unusual noise coming from the exhaust and fluid leaks. One of the most frequent types of damage caused by potholes is broken coil springs, which will cause uneven suspension. This is because the coil springs take the brunt of the force when you drive over a pothole. In addition to aesthetic damage, hitting a pothole can also cause alignment issues and broken track rods, neither of which should be left unrepaired as they can cause severe tyre damage and could even lead to you losing complete control of your car. There might be an alignment issue if your car isn’t steering straight, so this is something else you should be mindful of.
Driving tips to avoid pothole damage to a car
To minimise risk of pothole damage to your vehicle, you can:
• Make sure your tyres are in good condition and have the correct pressure. If your tyres are well inflated, this will provide extra protection if you hit a pothole. • When driving over a pothole, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel to maintain control of the vehicle. • Make sure you’re not driving too fast. The slower you drive, the less damage will be caused if you do happen to drive over a pothole. • Maintain a good distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to ensure you can see the road ahead clearly and you can spot potholes. • Make sure your car is serviced regularly, ensuring your lights are fully working, windscreen wipers are functioning, and windscreen washer fluid is topped. Making sure your car is properly serviced will increase your chances of spotting potholes and other hazards so you can steer clear of them. On a positive note, the Government have recently announced an additional £200 million has been allocated to the UK’s pothole repair funds as part of the new Spring budget. It has been projected that an additional four million potholes across the country can be repaired with this increase.
• Make sure your tyres are in good condition and have the correct pressure. If your tyres are well inflated, this will provide extra protection if you hit a pothole. • When driving over a pothole, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel to maintain control of the vehicle. • Make sure you’re not driving too fast. The slower you drive, the less damage will be caused if you do happen to drive over a pothole. • Maintain a good distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to ensure you can see the road ahead clearly and you can spot potholes. • Make sure your car is serviced regularly, ensuring your lights are fully working, windscreen wipers are functioning, and windscreen washer fluid is topped. Making sure your car is properly serviced will increase your chances of spotting potholes and other hazards so you can steer clear of them. On a positive note, the Government have recently announced an additional £200 million has been allocated to the UK’s pothole repair funds as part of the new Spring budget. It has been projected that an additional four million potholes across the country can be repaired with this increase.
How do I claim for pothole damage to my car?
You may be able to claim compensation for damage to your car caused by a pothole. To do this, you will need to identify the organisation responsible for it and provide them with the following information:
• What damage was caused • Why you think they are responsible • The date and time the damage was caused, and • The location where the damage took place, being as specific as possible. To find out which organisation is responsible and their contact details, head to Gov.uk
• What damage was caused • Why you think they are responsible • The date and time the damage was caused, and • The location where the damage took place, being as specific as possible. To find out which organisation is responsible and their contact details, head to Gov.uk
What to do if you do hit a pothole
If you drive over a pothole, it’s important to assess your car as soon as possible. Firstly, check if there is any visible tyre damage such as bulges, punctures, or exposed ply-cords. You should also check the wheel itself to see if there are any flat spots, cracks, or chunks.
Although you can carry some checks out yourself, we would strongly advise that you take your car to a mechanic as soon as possible, particularly because there may be damage to the underneath of your vehicle and other hidden damages which may get worse over time if left unrepaired. If pothole damage is left unrepaired, this is likely to impact the resale value of your car. For example, alloy damage may have an effect as this is usually a point of negotiation.
Although you can carry some checks out yourself, we would strongly advise that you take your car to a mechanic as soon as possible, particularly because there may be damage to the underneath of your vehicle and other hidden damages which may get worse over time if left unrepaired. If pothole damage is left unrepaired, this is likely to impact the resale value of your car. For example, alloy damage may have an effect as this is usually a point of negotiation.
You can find more tips and advice on how to look after your car in our car ownership guides.