According to new RAC figures released today to commemorate National Pothole Day, RAC patrols attended nearly a quarter (23%) more breakdowns where potholes were likely to blame in the last three months of 2022 compared to the previous three months. Between October and the end of the year, the motoring services company’s roadside staff responded to an average of 20 breakdowns per day, for a total of more than 1,800, for issues such as damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs, and distorted wheels. This was an increase from the previous three months’ average of 16 per day (1,462), and it was the highest number of pothole-related breakdowns seen in the fourth quarter of the year since 2019. Given the amount of rain that has fallen on either side of December’s sub-zero temperatures, the threat of a slew of potholes appearing in the coming months is now very real. These are ideal conditions for the formation of potholes, as water seeps into cracks and expands when it freezes, causing the road surface to crumble. According to research for the RAC’s latest Report on Motoring, an astounding 86% of drivers had to deliberately steer to avoid potholes in the previous year, a figure that rises to 90% in rural areas but only falls to 81% in urban areas. Most drivers (55%) also rated pothole repairs in their local areas as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. Nicholas Lyes, the RAC’s head of road policy, stated: “The wet weather we’ve had both before and after the coldest start to winter in 12 years in December is the perfect recipe for potholes to start peppering the roads. We are concerned that by the Spring, drivers will be plagued by a slew of potholes on the country’s roads, making journeys uncomfortable and frustrating, or, worse, leading to very expensive garage repair bills – the last thing anyone wants in a cost-of-living crisis. It’s also important to remember that potholes are more than just an annoyance; they’re a true road safety hazard, particularly for those on two wheels, who face a significant risk to their personal safety. “As many drivers will no doubt testify, there are too many occasions where potholes have been poorly patched up by cash-strapped councils which then return all too quickly. It’s frankly absurd that we as a country can’t seem to solve such an age-old problem when roads play such an important role in people’s daily lives – and are critical to businesses delivering services. “Councils are pleading for more funding to do a proper job of bringing their roads up to standard. Drivers can only hope that 2023 is the year when the Government finally sits up, notices Britain’s perpetual problem with potholes, and comes up with a better way to solve it, as the state of the roads remains one of their biggest motoring frustrations.”