30/05/2018

Potholes put drivers out of pocket

One pothole could cause damage costing almost two months of an average UK salary, according to MotorEasy.

According to MotorEasy's database of 30,000 warranty customers, axle and suspension damage is one of the most common causes of repair claims.

The top repair cost for a suspension claim seen by MotorEasy in the last year was recorded by a Land Rover Range Rover Sport and came in at £3,863. This was closely followed by £3,528 for an Audi Q7 and £2,729 for a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance Survey (ALARM) revealed that more than 24,000 miles of UK roads need repairing within the next year, putting many cars at an increased risk of suffering suspension and axle-related damage.

The state of the roads has worsened significantly thanks to the very cold spells of snow and wet weather earlier this year. Potholes are created when water gets into cracks in the road, freezes and expands, breaking open the road surface; with weather conditions now improving, the perilous state of the nation's roads is now becoming clear.

Overall, the average cost for a suspension claim is £297, which is equivalent to 58% of an average weekly wage in the UK.