CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) -
We all are way too familiar with winter weather wear and tear on the roads. Potholes are the pits, especially when you roll over them with your car.
So if you live in a city with lots of potholes, here are a few driving safety tips:
1. Always maintain the proper air pressure in your tires
2. Leave plenty of room in front of your vehicle so you can avoid potholes without getting into an accident
3. If you can't avoid a pothole, slow down. But don't break directly over a pothole which can actually cause more damage
4. When driving over the pothole, hold the steering wheel firmly to avoid losing control
5. Don't drive over a puddle of water because it might be a particularly deep pothole in hiding (tips provided by Allstate Insurance)
Potholes can cause serious damage to a car, even if they are small. Although, it may be obvious that running over a large pothole can be bad for tires, running over small potholes can have as much impact on your car as a 35 mph car crash.
Usually the force that causes damage is not felt because your car's suspension absorbs the impact. Experts estimate motorists collectively end up paying millions of dollars a year to repair their cars because of potholes. The damage to the tire itself may also cause tires to blowout if they are under inflated. The damage from the potholes on your tires may also cause issues for your car such as alignment, uneven wear and tear, and reoccurring loss of air pressure.
For associated links click here and here.
TIP: Allstate suggests that if you encounter a pothole, you should report it to your state's Department of Transportation. In some cases, your state or county may actually reimburse you for some of the repair costs.
Copyright 2013 WOIO. All rights reserved.
