Potholes in the UK: A serious and dangerous problem

What are potholes and their causes?

A pothole is a hole that appears, through damage, in roads and pavements. Potholes are usually caused by a result of water seeping into the surface through cracks. The effect of this water creates a softening of the soil underneath the asphalt surface. Then as vehicles drive over it, the road is weakened further by the pressure they create. Over time the asphalt will erode and the soil lying beneath it will get dislodged. 

Potholes in local roads are a long term problem, often as a result of a lack of funding for highway maintenance and an absence of a long-term investment plan for local roads. Where potholes are present, roads need resurfacing but unfortunately, that only occurs less than once every 100 years on average. 

How big of a problem are potholes in the UK?

UK roads are becoming a national emergency according to the AA and one of the biggest issues are potholes. Potholes in the UK are a massive problem. It is estimated that, due to potholes, 18% of roads in England and Wales will not be fit for purpose in 5 years, as they will be “undrivable”. This is unless investment is made.

The pothole problem in the UK is not helped by the enormous maintenance backlog across England and Wales which stands at a record £14bn. In fact, for local roads to be restored to a reasonable state, if the necessary funding and resources were in place, this would be an 11-year job for highway departments.

What are the risks of potholes?

When the weather gets cold, the risk of potholes increases. This is because freeze-thaw occurs in the soil structure. due to the cold temperature. so the usual deterioration increases in speed. 

Specific roads have a higher risk of developing potholes. This includes:

• those with inadequate drainage systems
• roads where the asphalt is not thick enough
• where there are defects in the pavement

Who is most at risk of accidents involving potholes?

Potholes in the road create a risk of accidents and injuries. They tend to be worse, however, on smaller country roads.

Those at the most risk of serious accidents from potholes in the road are cyclists. Road defects are the cause of 15% of cyclist accidents. Pedestrians are also at risk. 

Between April and June 2020, around 1,766 drivers experienced accidents due to potholes. Potholes can damage drivers' vehicles.

After driving and texting and drink-driving, drivers state that the most rapidly growing concern for them is the amount of potholes in roads across the UK.

What accidents and injuries could occur?

If you are a driver on the roads an encounter with a pothole could easily cause a collision, as it could cause you to divert off course. It could also cause damage to your vehicles such as

• damage to suspension
• alteration of steering alignment
• tyre damage or destruction

The types of accidents and injuries which can occur due to potholes in the road include:

• whiplash injury for passengers in vehicles
• fatal accident for cyclists
• sprained or broken ankles for pedestrians
• sprained or broken wrists as pedestrians naturally use their arms and hands to catch themselves as they fall
• soft-tissue injuries to the neck or back for cyclists or those in other vehicles
• broken bones for cyclists and those in other vehicles
• head injuries for cyclists and those in other vehicles

Who is responsible for repairing potholes in the UK?

Local highway authorities with funding from the central government are responsible for repairing potholes in the UK. This is part of their overall road maintenance duty. The funding for highway maintenance is allocated from the Department of Transport.

What is being done to tackle the UK's pothole problem?

As part of the 2023 spring budget, ministers announced an extra £200m for local road maintenance. 

Our Legal and Compliance Director, Jonathan White, says that while this extra funding for local road maintenance is welcome, it's unlikely to solve Britain's pothole pandemic, which causes tens of thousands of injuries every year. 

Injuries include ligament damage to knees and ankles, as well as wrist sprains and fractures, which many people don't bring claims for because of a stigma around compensation culture, or worries about legal costs. 

RAC's head of roads policy also welcomes the funding but does not see it making a big difference to the current state of local roads.

Can I claim if I'm injured in an accident involving a pothole?

If you are injured in an accident involving a pothole in the UK which is not your fault, you may be able to make an injury and accident compensation claim. You  can make a claim where the local highway authority knew about the exact pothole which caused your accident. Our Legal and Compliance Director, Jonathan White firmly maintains that where there has been a genuine injury and the highway authority was at fault, it's only right that people receive the compensation they deserve.

An accident involving a pothole could have significant effects on your day-to-day life and may cause you time away from your job and loss of earnings. So you must get any compensation you deserve to help make things right and assist you in getting on with your life.

Let National Accident Helpline make a pothole accident claim for you today - Call . If it is easier you can request a call back here or why not begin your claim online?

How can making an accident claim help my recovery?

If you are injured in an accident involving a pothole, making an accident claim can really help your recovery process. 

Making a pothole injury claim can provide you with:

• the financial compensation you deserve to allow you to pay for changes needed as a result of the accident which will help your daily life
• some justice over the fault of another for your accident which you had no control over
• a positive feeling that you turned a bad situation due to your accident into a better one.

How do I make a no-win no fee accident claim?

At National Accident Helpline, we know how accidents and injuries can cause chaos in a person's life, and this includes injuries like yours resulting from potholes.  So we understand how important it is that you claim and get the compensation you are owed. If you have unfortunately been injured by a pothole accident and it was not your fault, you can make your claim with us on a no-win no fee basis. 

What this means is that with a no-win no-fee compensation claim you do not pay to make your claim and if you do not gain any compensation, you lose nothing. At National Accident Helpline we are highly experienced at assessing the likelihood of you getting compensation so will only take your case where we are confident you can win.

At National Accident Helpline, we ensure that your claim process is simple and stress-free. Our advisors will listen carefully and sympathetically to your situation. Then they will pass you to one of our excellent specialist solicitors who will complete your claim. If you are curious about how much compensation you might get, we let you calculate your potential compensation online by using our compensation calculator.  

Let National Accident Helpline help you with your pothole accident claim today Call or request a call back here. You can even begin your claim online.