insurethebox informs young drivers of dangers involved with potholes as colder weather approaches

 

As weather begins to worsen across the country and inevitably puts a further strain upon already worn roads, telematics insurance pioneer, insurethebox, has issued a warning to their younger, less-experienced customers about the dangers of potholes.

Despite a recent announcement by the UK Government to provide an extra £500 million funding (at the Budget 2020) to help repair up to 50 million potholes across the nation, insurethebox remains concerned of the risks these potholes cause to new drivers in the immediate future.

Gary Stewart, Service Manager at insurethebox saw that “potholes, on the surface may seem insignificant but when combined with speed, could cause damage which undermines the safety of a car”.

For an inexperienced driver, it’s an already daunting task to face winter driving conditions, and the addition of potholes, which can be hard to spot on dark nights, can make journeys even more treacherous.”

To help their younger customers, insurethebox have outlined some of their top tips to help prepare for dealing with potholes:

 

• Stay Alert

Potholes remain innately difficult to spot, but this becomes significantly harder in winter months when hours of daylight are reduced. We urge our drivers to avoid distractions (i.e. mobile phones, infotainment systems) and be aware that potholes can appear in unexpected locations.

 

• Watch your speed

Maintaining the correct speed for the type of road is key to remaining safe on the road. But damage caused by pothole-related incidents can be significantly influenced by a driver’s speed. Typically, the slower the speed, the less damage received.

 

• Remain calm

If you manage to spot a pothole ahead, try to avoid if possible or slow down if it is not safe to go around. Sharply braking or swerving can cause more danger to other road users and yourself.

 

• Check the car

If you do hit a pothole, it’s important that you pull over at the nearest safe location. Check the inner and outer walls of your tyres, take pictures of any damage, and call your insurance provider if you spot significant damage.

 

• Report the pothole

If you spot a pothole on the road, you can contact the local council and report the issue. Try to provide a precise location and take pictures (if possible) to make sure other drivers don’t damage their cars.

There are further opportunities to seek compensation for damage caused to your vehicle caused by potholes in road surfaces via the official Government website.

If you are unable to gain compensation yourself via your local council, then we can also attempt to recover the cost from the council on our customer’s behalf. Please inform us if this is the case.