- 45% of drivers have had an accident or near miss because of a pothole
- 98% would welcome either a clear temporary road sign warning or fluorescent markings around bad potholes
- Motorists encounter an average of 13 potholes on their standard daily routes
- Eight out of ten (80%) motorists are worried they’ll have an accident as a result of a pothole and hit a cyclist, pedestrian or oncoming vehicle
Motorists are today calling for immediate action as the pothole crisis on Britain’s roads reaches breaking point with drivers being forced off the road by the dangerous craters.
In a new report by leading automotive service brand, Autoglass®, which questioned 3,000 drivers, nearly half (45%) said they’ve had either an accident or near miss while driving as a result of the horrifying road conditions and four out of ten (46%) admit that someone they know has also been in the same situation.
Local councils around the country have a responsibility to display a temporary road sign when road conditions are poor, but nine out of ten (92%) drivers have never seen such a notice. When asked what measures they would like to see in place to protect them from pothole danger, over half (55%) would welcome a clear temporary road sign and four out of ten (43%) think fluorescent markings around bad potholes would serve as a safe warning to traffic.
Although an extra £100million was due to be given to local authorities to help repair the pothole damage, this would still have left a shocking £300million maintenance gap[1]. However, it has been revealed that the transport budget is not protected under the coalition government and the recent budget announcement unveiled there will certainly be cuts in public spending. While Britain eagerly awaits further news, the road maintenance budget is expected to see a reduction of at least 25% resulting in even more potholes on the UK’s roads.[2]
The survey also reveals that on an average journey motorists encounter a staggering 13 potholes, with nearly a third (27%) coming across up to 20. Two thirds (62%) admit they spend more time watching out for ruts than keeping their eyes on the road ahead.
Pothole peril
Potholes are costing Britain’s motorists around £3.7 billion[4] in annual vehicle repairs with over half (55%) of those polled having suffered because of the treacherous trenches. Four out of ten (39%) have experienced suspension problems, more than a third (35%) have had a burst tyre, a fifth (20%) of drivers have had their windscreens chipped from the hole kicking up stones and nearly two out of ten (17%), have had their paintwork damaged. An average spend of £220 per motorist is being shelled out on car repairs as a result of the pothole crisis according to those questioned.
Nigel Doggett, managing director at Autoglass® comments: “The aftermath of the worst winter in 25 years has resulted in the number of potholes on our roads increasing by 40%3 since last year and if the transport budget is cut by 25% as reports warn, the problem could get even worse. At Autoglass® we have seen a 25% uplift in calls this year from motorists needing their windscreens repaired, so we experienced first hand the frustration that drivers are facing.
“Our survey clearly shows that motorists have had enough of potholes and they are growing increasingly irritated with the state of the UK’s roads. It’s incredible and very alarming that so many drivers have had an accident, or experienced vehicle damage as a result of the treacherous driving conditions.
“In addition to the safety implications, potholes are costing motorists and insurance companies millions of pounds, which is why we’re urging councils to listen to our campaign.
“The poor quality of our roads is a serious safety hazard and by councils simply displaying a temporary road sign, it would reassure motorists that something is being done, while fulfilling their responsibility to keep road users safe.”
Pothole peril 2
In addition, motorists are seriously worried about the impact of hitting one of these potholes when there are cyclists or pedestrians passing by with nine out of ten (90%) drivers revealing they are regularly swerving to avoid hitting huge crevices and a further 80% saying they are worried this will cause an accident and they will hit a cyclist, motorcyclist, pedestrian or oncoming vehicle.
Chris Peck, campaigner for CTC – The UK’s National Cyclists’ Organisation, adds:
“Potholes and road defects are more than just a nuisance; they’re a danger to cyclists and other road users. In the UK, there’s an average of one pothole for every 110 metres of road. This report clearly reveals that motorists are worried about hitting cyclists when they’re forced to swerve and we encourage all road users to report holes and hazards by visiting http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ where we guarantee the information will be passed directly to the highways authority responsible for that area.”
To see video footage of Britain’s deteriorating roads and get advice on how to handle potholes, visit http://www.autoglassnews.co.uk/
Autoglass® is the UK’s leading vehicle glass repair and replacement specialist, with 101 branches nationwide and 1,300 mobile service units. For details of your nearest centre, call 0800 36 36 36 or visit http://www.autoglass.co.uk/.
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Pothole peril 3
Notes to editors:
For photography and video footage please contact emma.vaughan@bright-pr.co.uk or call 0121 711 5000.
Additional survey results:
- Six out of ten (60%) say they worry about damaging their car
- Nearly half (45%) feel angry that more isn’t being done to sort out the roads
- A third (31%) are concerned that the potholes will get worse
- Three out of ten (27%) are frustrated and fed up with driving in such terrible conditions
- Words used by those surveyed to describe the state of Britain’s roads include treacherous, dangerous, ridiculous, appalling and outrageous
- More than two thirds (66%) think the horrendous holes are more dangerous in the dark when visibility is reduced
- A quarter (25%) feel scared because they can’t see the divot if it’s filled with water
- Three out of ten (30%) have driven straight over the ruts because they were impossible to make out when filled with water
[1] news.bbc.co.uk
[2] Sky News, http://www.roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/1041.html, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/487ccbda-7f34-11df-84a3-00144feabdc0.html
[3] Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance Survey 2010.
[4] According to motorist numbers released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
About CTC
CTC is the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation. With 70,000 members and affiliates in 250 clubs across the UK, it is the oldest and largest cycling body in the UK, established in 1878. CTC provides a comprehensive range of services, advice, events, and protection for its members and works to promote cycling by raising public and political awareness of its health, social and environmental benefits. For more information see http://www.ctc.org.uk/
