Aren’t you just annoyed when your car runs over a pothole? It can be annoying, especially if it causes you to spill your drinks on the car seat. Potholes can be unavoidable and even hardly visible at times. Please beware! They may cause your car parts to suffer a handful of damages. Let’s look at the potential pothole damage to your car.
How is a pothole formed?
Potholes are the imperfections on the road surface that occur when soil compact beneath pavement becomes weakened. It is usually the result of water in the underlying soil structure and traffic passing over the affected area.
They start with tiny cracks but become bigger and bigger over time if they are not fixed right away.
Road fatalities involving motorists riding into potholes are not new. According to statistics revealed in 2018, 840 people died in road accidents resulting from pothole-related mishaps from 2000 to 2011.
Potholes that can damage your car parts
Exhaust
The car exhaust is an easy target of potholes as it runs under your car.
Therefore, running into a deep pothole may cause you to scrape your undercarriage against the pavement. The impact can potentially dent and rip a hole in the exhaust pipe.
You are likely to hear unusual noise or experience a loss of power as a sign of exhaust damage.
Tyres
Your car tyre is susceptible to pothole damage as it is considered the only component that comes in contact with the road.
The sharp-edged potholes can press against your tyre, slicing the rubber or breaking the belts that hold a tyre together.
Wheels
Wheels are an essential part of any automobile. They generate rotary motion and are responsible for moving the car from one point to another.
A deep pothole can easily affect the wheels severely.
The impact may scrap the wheel rims and cause them to become distorted or cracked. Therefore, the wheels may not be able to form an airtight seal with the tyres.
Suspension
Suspension is designed to absorb impacts and provide a smooth ride. However, there is a limit to how much it can handle.
The sudden hit against the potholes may damage your suspension system. It may cause many suspension problems, including misalignment, damaged shocks, or struts.
You may notice your car veers off-centre due to a faulty suspension.
Control arms
Control arms are the link that connects your front wheels to your car. They help maintain the vertical position of the wheels.
The impact of serious potholes may bend the control arm. You may lose control over the wheels with major control arm damage. Worse, the wheel could fall off the position if the control arm breaks.
Body
The lower your car body sits to the ground, the better it handles. However, your car is more likely to be damaged by potholes.
Even a small pothole can hurt your low-hanging bumper or side skirts.
Can you claim for pothole damage?
You can claim for pothole damage from the council or authority responsible for maintaining the road where the pothole is located. You can claim under your car insurance if you have comprehensive insurance.
Do not worry, as you will not lose your No Claim Discount (NCD). Here’s how you can claim from the local council:
- Take photos of your vehicle and the potholed road as evidence.
- Lodge a police report. State the name of the road, kilometers’ reading, date, and time of the incident.
- Fill out a claim form and provide a police report as well as photos of the incident.
- Your claim money may take some time. Your insurer will send their claim adjuster to conduct an investigation. Upon completing the investigation, the adjuster will determine the amount of compensation.
Don’t take pothole damage lightly
Although driving over potholes may not seem as hazardous, you should never underestimate the damages sustained by potholes.
Running over deep potholes at high speed can damage your suspension systems. Some signs of post-pothole damage might include a pulling sensation in one direction, dents in your tyres or rims, or low tyre pressure.
It will not only cost you money to repair the damage, but it could also cause you to lose control of your vehicle and end up in a collision with another car on the road, so please be safe on the road.
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