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UK's Pothole Damages Cost 7x More Than Manny Pacquiao's Net Worth

Potholes

Who would ever think that those seemingly dull potholes that pester you each day can cost a country almost seven times as much as Manny Pacquiao's networth of $220 Million--or PHP11.2 billion? According to a published research by UK servicing and repair company Kwikfit, there were more than 10.8 million drivers that damaged their vehicles due to poor conditions just last year alone. And the cost of repairing these vehicles cost by pothole damage was a whopping £1.25 billion—or PHP75.49 billion. Yes, that's a jaw-dropping PHP75.49 billion. That's how much you can pay to buy a decent startup company, or how much Fiat-Chrysler invested to build Ram Trucks in their Sterling Heights Assembly Plant. Pothole filled with water According to Kwikfit's report, the average bill of motorists in 2019 for was £115—or around PHP7,000. This consisted of tire, wheels, and suspension repairs. Kwikfit also added that the total cost they identified in their study will increase further as 13 percent of the drivers they surveyed haven't yet repaired the damages to their vehicles. Car nearing a pothole The study also reported that more than a quarter (26%) of motorists hit more than 30 potholes over the course of the month. That's an average of one a day. Meanwhile, one-third (32 percent) of those drivers who did hit a pothole said it cause vehicle damage in the end. According to Kwikfit's study, the most common items that needed repair due to this damage were the tires (5.8 million drivers), wheels (4.2 million), suspension and steering (3.8 million and 1.7 million respectively).

The Bane of Every Speeding Motorist

Potholes form when the soil beneath the concrete gets weakened or displaced. As they are continuously driven over by vehicles, and exposed to rain (water), cracks form in and on the surface of the concrete (pavement), they eventually form a hole that grows wider and deeper with time. https://youtu.be/rg5Hwety4RU Hitting on a pothole while speeding is not a joke nor should be considered to be. This is especially true if the pothole is deep enough. Some of the most common damages include:
  • Suspension (leading to misalignment and steering wheel dislocation)
  • Underside (creating cracks or holes on the car's underside)
  • Tires (distorting or deforming metal while creating bulges and blisters on the tires)
  • Exhaust system (making the exhaust system noisy)
You can prevent (or lessen) these damages by practicing the following:

Slow down before you hit it

Take your foot off the accelerator, and press the brake gently and gradually.

Don't brake directly over it

When you push the pedal hard, it will cause your vehicle's entire weight forward, which can push it further inside the pothole. This will exacerbate the problem even more.

Remain in control

The best thing to do when driving over a pothole is to firmly grip the steering wheel so you will have better control of it as it goes down. It's also good  to angle your car in such a way that it goes straight through the pothole (not diagonally or at any other angle). This will lessen the chances of damaging your tire's sidewalls and wheel.

Also Read:

Potholes: How They Damage Your Car and What to Do About It

Pothole Warriors: Here are the Best Cars, Tires, and Technologies to Combat Them

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