You don’t need to be told that potholes are very common in Ireland.
Motorists in Ireland have been warned of the dangers potholes can cause to vehicles after a large number of drivers reported they had damaged their cars via them last year.
A new survey conducted by AA Ireland showed that 16% of respondents – out of 5,000 people – had damaged their car by hitting an unrepaired pothole in the previous 12 months.
Of those who had their car damaged by a pothole, 61% reported that one or more of their tyres had either been punctured, with 35% stating that the wheel rim had also been damaged by the pothole.
Meanwhile, 23% said they damaged the steering alignment and 17% damaged the shock absorbers or shock absorption system.
Anna Cullen from AA Ireland said that potholes are a major problem on Irish roads and said that more investment in road maintenance was needed in order to ensure the safety of all road users.
“There are ways you can identify pothole damage,” Cullen said.
“You’ll notice that the front end of your vehicle dips when you brake, you can feel your vehicle roll or sway while turning, when you accelerate the rear of the vehicle squats and on rougher, winding roads you can feel an abnormal bounce or slide.
“In general your vehicle feels like it’s sitting a little lower at the front or the rear. If you stop suddenly you experience a loss of directional control and there is visible damage such as rusting or dents.
“To keep pothole damage to a minimum our patrol team says you should maintain full air pressure in all tyres. Keep your eyes peeled for potholes by leaving plenty of space between yourself and the vehicle in front.
“If you’re not in a position to avoid the pothole, slow down. Hitting it at speed will increase the chance of damage to tyres, wheels, shocks, struts or springs.
“Hold the steering wheel firmly to avoid losing control. Don’t break when directly over a pothole. This causes the car’s weight to shift to the front of the wheel and can increase damage from the impact. Be wary of potholes filled with water, they may be deeper than they look.”
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