Pothole Problems?

After the winter we’ve had, there are bound to be potholes lurking around every corner. This week, we’re dedicating our blog to those sneaky creatures of despair and what you as a driver can do to stay safe when you encounter one (or ten).

So, potholes are formed from water getting into cracks in the pavement and then freezing. When water freezes, it expands, which pushes the pavement apart and weakens it. When vehicles drive over these weak spots, the pavement crumbles under the pressure. Annnnddd then a pothole forms, here and ready to ruin countless lives.

How to avoid potholes? Avoid puddles on the road. Unless you can see that it’s just a thin layer of water, try to drive around the puddles. Water is great at hiding potholes’ sizes and depths until you hit them and learn the truth.

If you do hit a pothole, well. Try to approach the situation slowly if you know driving through the pothole is inevitable. If you hit a deep pothole, or hit any pothole at a speed, or a combination of the both, make sure that your vehicle is okay afterward by pulling over when it’s safe to do so and inspecting the exterior of your vehicle and tires for damage. The pothole could have blown a tire or thrown off your alignment, both things that need to get fixed ASAP.

After you encounter a pothole? Call your local DOT or DPW and let them know about it. It doesn’t matter if someone else has already reported the pothole. More reports are more motivation to get the situation fixed!