RAC patrols went out to more than 8,100 pothole breakdowns between April and June 2023, the highest number in five years.
Since the start of 2023, the RAC has dealt with 18,250 breakdowns for damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels – call-outs which are most likely caused by defective road surfaces.
The 8,100 pothole-related breakdowns recorded in Q2 is the highest the RAC has since the ‘Beast from the East’ cold snap plunged much of the UK into a deep freeze with heavy snowfall five years ago.
The figures show that 27,250 breakdowns occurred in the 12 months up to June 30, 2023, where vehicles had been damaged by a pothole, compared to 22,800 over the same period in 2022 – 20% more than last year (4,550 more breakdowns).
RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Drivers won’t be surprised to hear pothole-related breakdowns are at their highest level for five years due to several spells of well below-average temperatures interspersed with some very wet conditions last winter.
“These conditions led to water getting into cracks, freezing and expanding which caused road surfaces to deteriorate rapidly as vehicles drove over them. But despite these perfect pothole-forming conditions, it’s also important to note that last winter wasn’t particularly harsh which demonstrates very clearly just how fragile our local roads really are.”
