Motoring organisation AA attended more than 52,000 pothole-related breakdowns in April 2023, a staggering 29 percent (nearly one third) increase compared to this time last year.
The first four months of this year have seen breakdowns as a result of potholes increasing by a quarter compared to 2022.
On average, more than 1,700 motorists have their vehicles damaged by potholes and other road issues every single day.
If the levels of breakdowns from potholes continue at the current rate across the rest of the year, 2023 could be the second-worst year for road conditions behind 2018.
With a new financial year underway, the AA is calling on councils to fill in as many potholes and other road defects as possible to reduce the amount being spent on compensation and make driving smoother.
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Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said the “pothole pandemic” was here to stay, with “little hope of a cure”, as thousands continue to be impacted every day.
Many motorists and organisations, including the AA, have called on the central Government and local authorities to make changes to improve road conditions.
Mr Cousens said: “In order to help Government and councils understand the true state of our roads we need the public to report every pothole they see.
“Regardless of their size, depth, the type of road and its position in the lane, we need to make 2023 ‘The Year of the Pothole’ so we can get our roads repaired.”
To meet the definition of a pothole, most councils consider a pothole as being at least 40mm deep, or the height of two 20p coins.
While people can still appeal to their councils for compensation if the damage was caused by a smaller hole, it may be more difficult for them to receive any money.
The organisation added that councils had a responsibility to inspect roads, but they cannot fill every hole unless they know about them.
Drivers can inform their local councils of any potholes using their websites, with experts advising including pictures of the pothole, the location and any damage it has already caused to vehicles in the area.
Jack Cousens added: “Potholes come in all shapes and sizes, each one posing a different type of danger. While the worst are like deep caves, shallower splits that snake across the surface can catch the wheels of cyclists causing severe damage.
“On safety grounds alone, we need to do all we can to shine a light on the awful condition of UK roads.”
Recent data from Citroen found that the total cost of pothole compensation could have filled an additional 340,000 potholes last year alone.
More than £22.7million was paid out in damage compensation in 2022, while total compensation payments since 2017 could have filled 2.3 million potholes.
In the last six years, more than 1,100 people in England and Wales have been injured because of a “defective road surface”.
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