No matter where you live or where you drive, potholes are a fact of life. These annoying holes can be found in both city streets and country roads, and sometimes they can get to be pretty large in size. While driving over a pothole is certainly an inconvenience or annoying, it can also cause some serious damage to your vehicle, Read on to learn more about a few helpful tips to help you handle potholes better and prevent damage from happening in the first place.
The Reason for Potholes
Most potholes form when water seeps into the soil underneath the pavement. As the weather gets colder, the pavement freezes and then thaws when it warms up again. This causes the pavement to crack and as drivers go over it, the weight will turn the weak spots into potholes. Severely cold temperatures and places with extreme winter weather often experience more and bigger potholes than other areas.
Handling Potholes like a Pro
Thankfully, there are some things all drivers can do to reduce the threat of pothole-caused damage. Maintain a safe distance between your car and the one in front of you so you can easily spot any upcoming potholes. Be wary of large puddles in the roadway, as they could be a pothole in disguise. Sometimes it’s impossible to maneuver around potholes. If that’s the case, slow down as much as you can hold your steering wheel tightly to keep the vehicle driving as straight as possible. Be aware that underinflated tires don’t handle potholes very well. Make sure your current tire air pressure levels are at their optimum PMI recommendations for safer driving.
The Damage Potholes Can Cause
You might not think that potholes are a big deal, but they can actually cause all kinds of damage. The most common problem is that your suspension or alignment will get out of whack if you drive over a lot of potholes, or you drive over a large one at a fast speed. Depending on the severity, you could even experience a blowout or a severely deflated tire. You might also end up with bulges in your tires or even dents in the wheel rims. If your vehicle starts to shake or pull to one side, it could be a misalignment due to a pothole. Pay close attention to the road and your vehicle so you can minimize the threat of these annoying road blemishes.
When it comes to vehicle maintenance, repairs, and service, contact Meadows Automotive located in Waterford Township, Michigan to schedule an appointment.
