Car accident risk ‘is on the rise due to potholes’

Posted 06/01/2010

An increasing number of drivers could be at risk of suffering a personal injury from a car accident due to the number of potholes on the road.

This is the view of road maintenance campaign site Potholes.co.uk, which cited figures from the Asphalt Industry Alliance showing a 65 per cent increase in UK road defects in the last decade.

According to the website, which was set up by warranties firm Warranty Direct, this deterioration is likely to have been exacerbated by recent sub-zero temperatures and harsh weather.

The combination of rain and darkness is also giving rise to so-called “invisible” water-filled potholes, which are difficult to see and avoid until it is too late.

Duncan McClure Fisher of Warranty Direct therefore advised: “Treacherous ice and snow may be at the forefront of drivers’ minds as the main hazard, but potholes are another danger they need to be aware of.”

This comes after AA Insurance last month cautioned motorists to be aware of the potential dangers posed by black ice during the current wintery conditions.