What You Should Know About the Dangers of Potholes

The answer to the question of “What is a pothole?” might seem obvious. It’s just a hole in the road, right? But the answer to the question of where they come from is a bit more complicated.

The process to create a pothole is pretty simple and has just a few steps:

Over many cycles of freezing and thawing, a pothole that started as a tiny crack can grow into a  huge pit in the road . Cars and trucks also make potholes form faster. The wear they cause as they drive over the same piece of road can force the cracks apart and make the pothole form faster.

Once the road starts to crack, a pothole will eventually form. The only way to prevent a pothole from forming, or to fix one that has already formed, is to  fill the cracks  so water cannot get inside.

Of course, a hole in the road isn’t that dangerous by itself. But the problem with potholes is that  most drivers don’t expect them . When you hit one, it almost always comes as a surprise, and surprises while driving are usually bad. Many drivers will panic when they hit a pothole and either slam on their brakes or swerve unexpectedly. This can cause more serious accidents if you aren’t careful.

Of course, potholes can also  damage your car on their own . If you do hit a pothole while driving, you could see many types of damage, such as:

Some of these types of damage are easy to spot. However, other kinds, such as damage to your tires or wheel alignment, can be harder to notice. If you recently hit a pothole, keep an eye out for any of these  symptoms of pothole damage :

The best strategy for dealing with potholes is to  avoid them as much as possible . However, sometimes you will have to drive down a rough stretch of road. You should know how to prevent and avoid damage due to potholes as much as possible.

If you are on a street with a lot of potholes, the best thing you can do is  slow down . Smaller potholes won’t cause damage when you drive through them slowly, and large ones are easier to spot and avoid when you aren’t moving fast.

When you have to drive through a pothole, it’s best to  face it head-on . Turning your wheel while you’re in a pothole can cause damage to your tires, wheels, and suspension. Slow down and drive straight through until you’re over it completely.

Sometimes you have time to see a pothole coming up, but not a lot of time to react. In these cases, it’s best  not to swerve suddenly . When you swerve, you could cause a bigger accident than the one you’re trying to avoid. It’s always best to stay in control of your vehicle.

If you think a pothole may have caused damage to your car,  don’t wait to get it checked . Bring your vehicle in to Anders Automotive to make sure there isn’t hidden damage putting you at risk.

If your car is showing signs of damage after hitting a pothole in Kansas City, don’t ignore it.  Contact us today  at Anders Automotive. We can help get you back on the road and ensure your car is working right.