Potholes are not just a nuisance. They cost UK drivers real money, cause serious mechanical damage, and send tens of thousands of cars to the roadside every year.
In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the RAC attended 9,439 pothole-related breakdowns, more than double the number recorded in the final three months of 2024. Call-outs for damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs, and distorted wheels rose by 19% compared to the same period in 2024. Over the twelve months ending September 2025, potholes caused 25,758 RAC breakdowns, an 11% rise on the previous twelve-month period.
The AA puts the total cost of pothole damage to UK vehicles in 2025 at approximately £645 million, with drivers paying an average of £350 per repair incident. That is not the cost of a new exhaust or a worn battery. That is the cost of tyres blown out, wheels buckled, and suspension arms bent by road surfaces that have been crumbling for years.
Understanding how pothole damage to your car maintenanc happens, what to check after a strike, and what you can do to reduce your risk is worth knowing now, before you hear that thud.
Potholes form when water seeps into cracks in the road surface. In cold weather, that water freezes and expands, widening the crack. When vehicles drive over the weakened area, the surface collapses. Winter rainfall and freeze-thaw cycles accelerate the process, which is why pothole breakdowns spike every spring.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance has identified a record £18 billion backlog of road repairs needed across England and Wales. The RAC reports that UK drivers are 1.7 times more likely to break down due to a pothole today than they were in 2006 when data was first collected. Over a quarter of surveyed drivers reported pothole-related vehicle damage within the last twelve months.
The roads are not getting significantly better anytime soon. That makes protecting your vehicle from pothole damage one of the more practical things a UK driver can do.
Let's break it down. When a wheel drops into a pothole and hits the far edge, the impact travels upward through the tyre and wheel and into the suspension and steering system. The force is sudden and concentrated. Here is what gets hit most often.
Tyres absorb the first and heaviest part of any pothole impact. Kwik Fit's Pothole Impact Tracker data shows that tyres are the most commonly damaged component, appearing in 38% to 51% of all pothole repair cases.
What to look for after an impact:
Sidewall bulges or bubbles. These appear when the internal structure of the tyre breaks down. A bubble on the sidewall means the outer rubber is the only thing holding air in. That tyre must come off the car immediately.
Cuts or tears in the rubber. Even small cuts can let moisture into the structure and cause progressive weakening.
Slow pressure loss. If a tyre gradually loses pressure over the days following a strike with no visible puncture, the tyre likely has internal damage. This is worth having checked by a professional.
Under-inflated tyres are particularly vulnerable. A correctly inflated tyre has more air volume to cushion an impact. A soft tyre offers far less protection and is more likely to be pinched between the rim and the road edge.
The wheel takes the impact when the tyre is not enough to absorb it. Kwik Fit data shows wheels feature in around 22% to 34% of pothole repairs.
A pothole can bend or crack an alloy wheel, distort the rim so it no longer seats the tyre correctly, or cause an imbalance that creates vibration at motorway speeds. A cracked rim is a safety risk, not just a cosmetic one.
Modern low-profile tyres, where the sidewall is thin, offer less cushioning between the road and the rim. Drivers of sports cars or vehicles fitted with large alloy wheels on low-profile rubber are particularly exposed to this type of damage.
Suspension systems are built to absorb bumps. A deep or sharp pothole can push the suspension beyond what it was designed to handle. Shock absorbers, suspension springs, control arms, and anti-roll bar linkages can all be damaged by a hard strike.
Kwik Fit reports suspension featuring in around 27% to 28% of pothole repair cases. The RAC tracks call-outs for broken suspension springs, damaged shock absorbers, and distorted wheels specifically, as these are the breakdowns most clearly linked to poor road surfaces.
Signs of suspension damage after hitting a pothole include:
The car sitting lower on one corner than the others
A clunking or knocking sound when driving over uneven ground
The ride feeling noticeably harsher or bouncier than before
The car pulling to one side under braking
Even when tyres, wheels, and suspension components appear undamaged, a pothole can knock your wheels out of alignment. Wheel alignment refers to the angle at which your tyres contact the road. A hard impact can alter these angles without breaking anything visible.
Misaligned wheels cause uneven tyre wear, meaning one side of the tread wears faster than the other. They also increase rolling resistance, which raises fuel consumption. Over time, the additional tyre wear means you buy replacement tyres more frequently than you should.
Almost half (48%) of cars requiring pothole-related repairs also needed wheel alignment correction, according to Kwik Fit's data. A full four-wheel alignment check costs between £50 and £100 at most independent garages.
Signs of wheel alignment issues include:
The car drifting or pulling to one side on a straight, level road
The steering wheel sitting off-centre when driving straight
Uneven or rapid tyre wear on one side
Steering wheel vibration at certain speeds
A sharp pothole impact can affect the steering rack, tie rods, and steering column. Damage here makes the car harder and less predictable to control, particularly when cornering or changing direction at speed. If the steering feels heavier or lighter than normal after a pothole strike, or if there is a delay between turning the wheel and the car responding, get it inspected without delay.
Deep potholes can scrape the underside of the car, damaging the exhaust pipe, catalytic converter, or heat shields. If you hear a rattling from underneath after a strike or notice unusual smells from the exhaust, have the undercarriage checked. One in eight pothole damage repairs included bodywork or undercarriage components, according to Kwik Fit data.
Here is the recommended sequence if you take a hard hit.
1. Find a safe place to stop. Do not continue at speed if the car is pulling, vibrating badly, or if a tyre has clearly lost pressure. Pull over when it is safe to do so.
2. Check the tyres visually. Walk around the car and look at each tyre. Check for bulges, cuts, or any visible pressure loss. Do not touch a tyre sidewall you suspect is damaged internally.
3. Check the wheels. Look for obvious cracks or distortion around the rim. Damage is not always easy to see, but a bent rim often shows as a wobble when the car is driven slowly.
4. Photograph the pothole. Take photos of the pothole with something for scale, such as a ruler or a coin placed next to it, and photograph any visible vehicle damage. Note the exact location and time. This evidence matters if you want to claim compensation.
5. Report the pothole. Use the GOV.UK report tool (gov.uk/report-pothole) or your local council's website. For motorways and A-roads managed by National Highways, report via their website. This creates an official record. Councils can invoke a statutory defence if they had no prior knowledge of a defect, so reporting immediately matters both for your potential claim and for other road users.
6. Get the car inspected professionally. Even if everything looks and feels normal, a pothole impact can cause damage that is not immediately obvious. A mechanic can check wheel alignment, inspect suspension components for hidden cracks, and assess the structural integrity of the tyres. Booking a post-impact inspection is a straightforward precaution. Drivlu connects you to verified local garages where you can book a check quickly, with transparent pricing before you commit.
You cannot always avoid potholes. However, several steps meaningfully reduce the risk of damage when you do encounter them.
Tyre pressure is the single most practical protection against pothole damage. A correctly inflated tyre has the air volume to absorb impacts that an under-inflated tyre cannot. TyreSafe data shows that a 10% drop in tyre pressure increases fuel consumption by around 2%, but the structural protection argument is just as important.
Check all four tyre pressures monthly and before long journeys. The correct pressure for your vehicle is printed on the door frame sticker or in the handbook. Note that over-inflating also causes problems: an over-inflated tyre is harder and less able to flex, which means less shock absorption and a greater risk of rim damage.
Worn tyres are more vulnerable to pothole damage. A tyre with deep, healthy tread provides more sidewall strength and structural resilience than one approaching the legal minimum of 1.6 mm. TyreSafe recommends replacing tyres before they reach 2 mm, as performance drops measurably before the legal limit.
Check tread depth monthly. A tyre in poor structural condition, even one above the legal minimum, offers less protection in a pothole impact. If the sidewalls show cracking or perishing, replace the tyres before a pothole does it for you.
Speed matters more than almost anything else in determining pothole damage severity. The force of a wheel dropping into a pothole and striking the far edge increases dramatically with speed. Slowing down on roads you know to be damaged gives you more reaction time to steer around holes and reduces impact force significantly when avoidance is not possible.
The RAC Pothole Index notes that 74% of drivers admit to braking sharply to avoid potholes. Anticipating road conditions and reducing speed proactively is a safer approach than last-second hard braking, which can itself destabilise the suspension just before an impact.
If a pothole is unavoidable, the correct technique is to brake firmly before reaching it, then release the brakes just before the wheels hit. Braking during the impact compresses the front suspension and reduces its ability to absorb the strike. Releasing the brakes just before impact allows the suspension to travel freely and do its job. Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel throughout.
Standing water on UK roads frequently conceals potholes. A puddle that looks shallow may hide a hole several inches deep. Where road conditions allow, give puddles a wide berth. When that is not possible, reduce speed before passing through.
Wheel alignment drifts out over time through normal driving, not just pothole impacts. Having it checked once a year during a routine service or before a long trip costs very little and prevents the gradual, expensive tyre wear that misaligned wheels cause. After any significant pothole strike, book an alignment check regardless of how the car feels. The damage is often invisible until you see what it has done to the tread.
Suspension components wear over time. A worn shock absorber or a cracked spring mount offers less protection in a pothole impact. Asking your garage to inspect the suspension during an annual service catches deteriorating components before they fail. Drivlu makes it simple to book this alongside a routine service at a verified local garage, without needing to contact multiple garages for quotes.
Councils have a legal duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain roads. If a pothole damages your vehicle and the council knew, or should have known, about the defect, you may be entitled to compensation.
The process is straightforward, but evidence is everything.
Photograph the pothole. Capture its depth and width with a ruler for scale. Photograph any visible vehicle damage at the scene.
Note the exact location, date, and time. Include the road name and direction of travel.
Report the pothole to the relevant authority. For local roads, use the GOV.UK tool or your council's website. For motorways and major A-roads, contact National Highways.
Get written repair quotes. Obtain at least two written estimates from garages before proceeding with repairs.
Submit a formal claim. Write to the highways department of the relevant authority. Include all photos, your report reference number, repair quotes, and receipts. Send the letter by recorded delivery and keep copies of everything.
Fewer than 10% of pothole damage claims are paid out, according to a March 2026 report referenced by AutoHit. Councils frequently cite the Section 58 defence, which allows them to avoid liability if a reasonable inspection regime were in place. That said, a well-documented claim with photos, receipts, and a formal report record gives you the strongest possible case. If a claim is rejected, the Small Claims Court is an option for amounts under £10,000, with court fees starting from £35.
How do I know if a pothole has damaged my car's suspension?
Listen for clunking or knocking sounds when driving over uneven ground, and pay attention to any change in ride quality. If the car feels bouncier than usual, sits lower on one corner, or pulls to one side, the suspension may have been damaged. These symptoms can appear hours or days after a hard pothole impact, not always immediately. A mechanic can inspect the shock absorbers, springs, and control arms and confirm whether anything needs replacing.
Does hitting a pothole always require a wheel alignment check?
Not every small pothole will knock the alignment out, but any hard or jarring impact warrants a check. Wheel alignment issues often develop gradually after an impact and are not always obvious until uneven tyre wear becomes visible. Given that an alignment check costs between £50 and £100 at most independent garages, and misaligned wheels silently wear your tyres, it is worth checking after any significant strike.
Can I claim pothole damage from my car insurer instead of the council?
You can, but most insurers treat pothole damage as an at-fault claim since there is no other driver to pursue. Making a claim on your comprehensive policy typically affects your no-claims bonus and raises your premium at renewal. Claiming from the council directly, with documented evidence, avoids this. If the damage is severe and the council rejects your claim, your insurer is a fallback option.
What is the most common pothole damage on UK roads?
According to Kwik Fit's Pothole Impact Tracker, tyres are the most commonly damaged component in pothole-related repairs, appearing in 38% to 51% of cases. Wheels and suspension follow, with wheel alignment correction required in almost half of all pothole-related repairs. Steering system components and exhaust or undercarriage damage account for a smaller but still frequent share of repair work.
How can correct tyre pressure reduce pothole damage?
A correctly inflated tyre has more air volume to cushion the impact when a wheel drops into a pothole. Under-inflated tyres are more likely to be pinched between the rim and the road edge, which causes internal structural damage and sidewall bulging. Maintaining the manufacturer's recommended pressure monthly is one of the most straightforward and inexpensive ways to reduce your exposure to pothole damage costs.
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