Dangerous Potholes
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Car Accident Attorney. Each year, potholes are responsible for nearly half a million auto insurance claims. Damage from dangerous potholes can compromise a vehicle’s components and lead to a serious accident risk if left unaddressed.
Damage to Your Vehicle
Potholes can cause damage to many of your vehicle’s most important components. Hitting a pothole can result in a blown-out tire or bent rim, suspension and steering damage including misalignment, damage to exhaust systems, and even damage to the engine. Because many of these parts are moving, even a small amount of damage is of serious concern as out of spec components wear quickly and can compromise other parts.
Watch Youtube Video ~ Vigilante Groups fixing potholes in Northern California. This video depicts how members of one Northern California community have rallied each other together to help fix a problem costing them thousands of dollars per year in damaged tires.
Symptoms of Pothole Damage
Pothole damage can be difficult to spot to the untrained eye. If you regularly drive in an area with potholes, it is always prudent to carefully inspect your vehicle on a regular schedule. Some common signs of damage from pothole include:
- Bulges in the tire’s sidewalls
- Damaged rims
- Scratches, scrapes, or punctures in the undercarriage
- Leaking fluid underneath the vehicle
- Loud or unusual exhaust noise
- Unusual vibrations
Damaged components can make your vehicle unsafe. Some common symptoms are apparent in a damaged vehicle’s diminished performance. If you notice your vehicle rolls or sways unusually in turns, is not braking evenly, bottoms out while driving, or seems to have developed an ongoing leak, it is advisable to investigate further and make the appropriate repairs.
Avoiding Potholes
Most drivers do not intentionally drive over potholes. In many cases, potholes “appear out of nowhere.” In order to maximize your ability to respond to road hazards, be sure to leave plenty of space between your vehicle and the one in front of you. If a road is poorly maintained, you may also need to reduce your speed which will minimize the impact while traveling over potholes. As you drive over a pothole, many advise that drivers do not apply the brakes. This allows the stress of the impact to be better distributed across the whole of the vehicle rather than isolating all of that energy on one wheel.
More From Car Accident Attorney Sacramento, Ed Smith:
- Winter Weather Driving
- Tips on What to Do When Your Vehicle Breaks Down at Night
- Unbalanced and Unsafe Tires
Sacramento Car Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Car Accident Attorney in Sacramento. If you or your family needs the assistance of an experienced lawyer to recover damages after an accident, I can help. Please do not hesitate to call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly, and compassionate advice. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact me online at AutoAccident.com.
I have been serving the Sacramento and Northern California community since 1982, helping my injured neighbors with personal injury and wrongful death claims. You can browse my clients’ reviews on: Yelp, Google, and Avvo.
The Million Dollar Advocates represent trial lawyers who have won million dollar awards for their clients. I am proud to be included in this group.
A selection of some of my past Verdicts and Settlements is posted to my website.
Top Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Pothole by Editor5807. CC BY 3.0
Final Photo Credit: Edward A Smith, Car Accident Attorney Sacramento
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