South Coast drivers warned of pothole increase ahead of cold winter
The AA in Hampshire says they attend around 3000 pothole-related breakdowns a month
After multiple heatwaves hit the South Coast this summer - drivers are being warned to brace themselves for the potholes that could form as colder months come in.
The AA in Hampshire says they attend around 3000 pothole-related breakdowns a month.
Jack Cousens is the Head of Road's Policy at the AA here in Hampshire.
He said: "We and our patrols attend a lot of breakdowns in the South-East region of which Hampshire is a key part.
"We attend around two and a half to three thousand pothole-related breakdowns a month.
"That's everything from punctured tyres all the way through to the really horrific damage of broken suspension arms, steering rods broken, and that sort of thing.
"Unfortunately, we've had a very warm summer, which has meant that's melted the tarmac and has made any pothole repairs that were made by the local authorities, well, it's disintegrated them.
"We're now just about to turn into really the worst part of the season for potholes, which is where we get wet weather, and as it gets deeper into autumn and winter, that freezing, thawing rotation, which means that potholes will be more frequently on our roads."
After a record-breaking summer of heatwaves baked UK roads, experts at the RAC say we could see an increase in pothole numbers.
Issuing the alert, the RAC said the sun’s intense ultraviolet radiation ages road materials and that this combined with the absorption of greater heat from the sun can cause surfaces to become brittle and crack as they cool.
The motoring services company likened this to how sunlight dries and cracks old paint or rubber.
Advice for drivers
Mr Cousens said: "What we want drivers to do, certainly as we're heading into pothole season, is making sure that you're looking ahead of the road and you can sort of try and pick a route through.
"We appreciate that is very difficult on our roads.
"Where you've got the ability to slow down and safely avoid the pothole, do so.
"Again, thinking about that wet weather, consider what might be lurking underneath, what might be the hidden danger in that puddle.
"Is it just a puddle or is there a horrifically deep pothole ready to come and damage you and your car?"