How to stay safe and protect your car from potholes
Dodge pothole damage and keep safe on the roads with our tips and tricks
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According to the RAC, there are currently more than one million potholes in the UK. So, if you’ve never driven over a pothole, you may be considered a particularly lucky driver.
Potholes are generally caused by rainfall and freezing temperatures but can expand over time with more harsh weather and the weight of passing traffic.
And they can cause serious damage to your car.
That’s why the government has committed £500 million in 2025 to road maintenance and to fix one million potholes each year.
But in the meantime, we've put together a guide to everything you need to know about potholes.
Here's what we'll cover:
The government’s plan to tackle potholes
The dangers of potholes
Dealing with pothole damage to your car
How to report potholes in the UK
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The government’s plan to tackle potholes in the UK
A £500 million budget has been allocated for road maintenance in 2025, aimed at tackling the persistent pothole problem in the UK.
The government has also committed to repairing one million potholes annually to improve the overall quality of the road network.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves emphasised that potholes are a ‘reminder of our failure to invest as a nation’ and vowed to improve road conditions in both urban and rural areas.
Understanding the dangers of potholes
The most common damage caused by potholes is to your car’s tyres, wheels and suspension.
And, although thankfully much less common, swerving to avoid potholes or the car/driver becoming unsettled by driving over a pothole can lead to more serious consequences.
Damage caused by a pothole can cost you hundreds of pounds, if not thousands if you drive a premium car like a used Mercedes.
Hitting a pothole head-on can damage the suspension system, which will be one of the most expensive repairs. The cost of suspension repairs will vary, but the average is around £134.
Punctures and tyre blowouts are also commonly caused by potholes. Checkatrade reports that a new tyre can cost from £45 up to £250 (depending on the brand and the car).
So, before we’ve even spoken about wheel balancing, misalignment and damaged alloys, the cost to repair damage caused by a pothole could easily go over £200.
But all isn’t lost, and you might be able to get some (if not all) of that money back.
What to do if your car is damaged by a pothole
First and foremost, you should check if your car is safe to continue driving.
Next, if your car’s been damaged by a pothole, you might be able to claim compensation.
Here’s what you need to do:
Find out whether the road is managed by National Highways (A-roads and motorways), the local council (most other roads), or Transport for London (red routes in London)
Contact whoever manages the road with a description of the damage, the date and time it happened, the location of the incident, and why you believe they're liable
It can be a lengthy process, and you’ll need to keep hold of quotes for recovery (if necessary) and repairs to share with the organisation that manages the road.
It’s also worth sharing your most recent MOT certificate as proof your car was in good condition before the damage from the pothole.
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How to report potholes in the UK
It’s worth reporting potholes to the local authorities to make them aware of the problem and help avoid damage to other cars in the future.
Potholes can also be a potentially more serious hazard for motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Here’s what you need to do.
Reporting in England and Wales
If you’re out on the roads in England and Wales and discover a pothole, you can report it to your local council by entering your postcode on the government’s website.
If the pothole is on a motorway or a road, you should contact Highways England on their number - 0300 123 5000 (available 24/7) - or via email info@highwaysengland.co.uk.
Sam Sheehan, our motoring editor, says: “The government actively encourages people to report potholes as it helps speed up repairs.
“It makes the council’s job easier and keeps motorists and pedestrians safer – a win-win.”
Reporting in Scotland and Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, you'll need to visit NI Direct and mark the pothole on a map, and you can able to keep track of repairs here too.
Just keep in mind that some roads and footways are not publicly maintained, so it might only be a private party that can fix the pothole(s).
Meanwhile, in Scotland you will need to contact your local council.
Staying informed: pothole maps and resources
At the start of 2024, the RAC released a free app, Stan, that allows users to record the locations of potholes and other road defects, helping councils identify exactly where repairs are needed.
The app is available on both iPhone and Android devices, and the RAC hope it will give a better idea of the condition of UK roads (and help to improve them).
Keeping our roads safe together
The maintenance and safety of roads in the UK is a collective responsibility.
By reporting poor road conditions, avoiding roads that have been flagged as having a pothole, and always driving safely, road safety will be improved.
And with the newly announced Budget from the government, here’s to hoping for safer roads in the UK in the very near future.
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