In recent news potholes have become even more of a problem after recent reports revealed that 49,000 people have demanded compensation due to the damage caused to their vehicles by potholes.

This works out that a claim is being made every 11 minutes (day and night!), and is a huge increase from the 2012 figures of just over 46,000. Local councils have tried to refuse these claims but have agreed to payout to 23% of the cases, resulting in £3.2 million worth of successful claims.

At Speed Couriers, we understand how big of a problem potholes can be and how badly they could damage someone’s car, which is why we’ve put together this handy list of ways to try cut down on pothole damages:

• Maintain your Distance – Sometimes potholes are hard to spot and they can seem to come out from nowhere; keeping your distance from cars in front of you can give you a better chance to spot potholes early and avoid them.
• Avoid Sudden Braking – When driving over a pothole, if you start to brake suddenly your car will tilt forwards and place more stress on the front suspension, which could end up causing serious damage.
• Check Tire Pressure Regularly – Checking your tire pressure regularly will give you that extra bit of resistance when driving over potholes; the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle will be detailed inside your vehicle handbook.
• Watch your Speed – Hitting a pothole at too high a speed can cause massive damage to your car, and can only end badly. Stick to the speed limit (as you always should) and be wary when travelling at higher speeds such as when driving on motorways.

So there we have our top tips for keeping your car much safer from nasty potholes! For more topical news tips and company info, be sure to return back to the Speed Couriers Blog!