Pothole-related breakdowns jumped by a fifth (17%) in the final
three months of 2024 compared to the previous quarter, a sign of
the ongoing poor condition of Britain's roads, new breakdown data
from the RAC's Pothole Index
shows.*
RAC patrols went to the rescue of 4,709 drivers from October to
December for damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs
or distorted wheels – the call-outs most likely to be caused by
wear and tear from defective road surfaces. This was 669 more
than the 4,040 recorded in the third quarter of 2024.
In the same winter period, almost four-in-10 breakdowns (39%) the
RAC attended were a result of punctured tyres, due to potholes
along with other factors like nails and screws.** This was the
highest proportion of breakdowns caused by punctures in any
quarter during 2024.
Sub-zero temperatures, along with water from rain, melted snow
and ice are normally the cause of potholes as water freezes and
expands in cracks in the roads. Although there were fewer frost
days and nearly a third (28%) less rainfall than average in the
fourth quarter of 2024, the number of pothole breakdowns still
rose.***
The number of pothole breakdowns could increase even more in 2025
following the recent severe weather conditions, which last week
meant the RAC had one of its busiest periods for breakdowns in
the five years since the COVID pandemic.
Garage data analysed by the RAC shows that drivers can expect to
pay an average of £460 if their car needs fixing after hitting a
pothole, for anything more serious than a puncture.**** This is
around 43% more than the average cost of pothole compensation
claims paid out by councils to drivers in 2023 at £260 per claim,
according to FOI data.*****
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “The poor
condition of Britain's roads is by far and away drivers' top
concern, yet despite the mild weather our figures show there was
no relief from the problem in the final quarter of 2024 – with
our patrols attending more pothole-related breakdowns compared to
three months earlier.
“In the aftermath of this month's blast of snow and ice, we may
see the unwelcome trend continue in 2025 as excess water freezes
and expands in cracks on the roads. To prevent water-damaged
roads in future, we urge local highways authorities to resurface
those in the worst condition and surface dress other roads to
stop them deteriorating further.
“Hopefully the Government funding announced before Christmas will
go some way towards literally filling in the cracks, giving road
users smoother, safer surfaces. The £1.6bn allocated to pothole
repairs is the biggest one-off road maintenance settlement
councils in England have ever been given. What's especially
positive is it comes with guidance to use the money wisely by
carrying out preventative maintenance, which we hope stops more
potholes appearing in the future.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
*The RAC Pothole Index is a
12-month rolling measure of the share of pothole fault breakdowns
compared to 2006, corrected for seasonal weather effects and
improving longer term vehicle reliability Data has been collected
by the RAC since 2006. Data deliberately excludes punctures as
the source of these could be something unrelated to road standard
(for instance, the presence of nails and screws)
**Data collected from the RAC's Pothole Index
***Met Office: UK and regional climate
change series and Monthly, seasonal and
annual number of days in the month with air frost (minimum
temperature below zero) for UK
****According to RAC garage data from
December 2023
*****Based on a Freedom of Information request about pothole
compensation claims to 18 councils with the longest UK road
networks in March 2024. The question asked was: What is the
average sum that was paid out to drivers per claim?
