It’s that time of year, when potholes litter our roadways and, in many cases, hit our wallets hard. Americans spend billions of dollars every year to repair damages caused by potholes, with an average price tag of almost $600 per repair.
A 2021 AAA survey found that 1 in 10 drivers sustained vehicle damage significant enough to warrant a repair after hitting a pothole. In addition to tires, damage caused by potholes may include dented rims, damaged wheels, dislodged wheel weights, displaced struts, dislocated shock absorbers, damaged exhaust systems, misaligned steering systems and ruptured ball joints.
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Avoiding Potholes
Of course, the best way to prevent pothole damage or tire troubles that might require a tow is to avoid potholes altogether.
AAA offers the following tips for avoiding potholes and minimizing damage to your vehicle:
• Beware of Puddles – Puddles are often potholes in disguise.
• Look Ahead – Make a point of scanning the road ahead for potholes. An alert driver is more likely to have time to avoid a pothole.
• Increase Following Distance – This will give you additional time to avoid potholes otherwise hidden by the vehicle in front of you.
• Limit Distractions – Avoiding a pothole is much easier if you are paying attention to the road ahead.
• Slow Down – Slowing down will increase the chance of avoiding a pothole, and if a pothole cannot be avoided, reduced speed will likely mean reduced damage.
• Inspect Tires – Make sure tires are properly inflated and have a healthy tread. Tires that are not road-ready are at greater risk of a blowout or flat.
• Don’t Ignore Noises/Vibrations – A hard pothole impact can dislodge wheel weights, damage the tire or wheel and even break suspension components. Any unusual noises after a pothole hit should be inspected immediately.
• Take Care of Your Spare – Check your trunk. Many newer cars do not have spare tires or the spare is unusable, causing greater inconvenience to drivers and their passengers in the event of a flat.
One important thing drivers can do to minimize the risk of requiring a tow if a pothole disables their vehicle is to check the trunk to make sure they have a useable spare.
“In 2022, there were more than 2,500 motorists just in Central and Eastern Kentucky alone whose tire troubles required a tow because they did not have a useable spare,” says Jed Bowles, fleet manager, AAA Blue Grass. “While drivers can’t always avoid a pothole, having a useable spare may help them avoid additional inconvenience and expense.”
While the desire for any call is always a quick fix at the roadside, AAA Emergency Rescue data indicate that last year, almost 30% of all tire-related calls in AAA Blue Grass territory resulted in the need for a tow, more than half because there was no useable spare. Had there been a spare available, thousands of tows could have been avoided, saving drivers both time and money.
Many new cars do not come with spare tires, so it is critical that drivers check to make sure they have the additional road-ready tire before they find themselves in need.
Is Your Tow and the Damage Caused by Potholes Covered by Insurance?
Typically, a flat tire is not covered by insurance because it is considered basic wear and tear. But, a blowout caused by a pothole, as well as the tow and additional damages to your vehicle, may be covered depending on your level of coverage.
“For many motorists, this is a costly lesson learned too late,” says Lori Weaver Hawkins, public affairs manager, AAA Blue Grass. “If drivers opt for just minimum vehicle coverage, they could find themselves paying a steep price when it comes to the damage done by potholes.”
AAA urges all vehicle owners to talk to their insurance advisors in advance of a pothole problem to ensure they are adequately covered, should the need arise.
