The proportion of breakdowns caused by potholes in the first quarter of 2018 was the third highest on record (since 2006), according to the RAC.
An analysis of RAC breakdown data has revealed motorists are still suffering the effects of the harsh winter weather seen in February and March due to the resulting deterioration of road surfaces right across the UK.
The percentage of RAC breakdowns likely to be attributed to damage caused by potholes and poor quality road surfaces, such as damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels:
• doubled to 2.3% from 1.2% in the last quarter of 2017 – only the first quarters of 2015 (2.6%) and 2017 (2.7%) were higher.
• That equated to 5,540 call-outs for those faults from a total of more than 244,000 RAC breakdowns over the same period – up from 2,841 in Q4 2017.
While the sheer volume of ‘pothole breakdowns’ may not have been as high as might have been expected considering the severity of the cold weather, the RAC said it expected the second quarter of this year to be a better indicator of the true state of the country’s roads. That’s because the weather hit relatively late in the quarter and, as a result, more vehicles are expected to suffer pothole damage in the second quarter of 2018 compared with recent years.