Each year it feels like potholes are becoming more and more prevalent on our Michigan roads. As a driver, it feels almost inevitable that on your daily commute you will encounter at least one pothole. How do you safely avoid them? What do you do if you hit one? Why are there so many potholes in Michigan? We are ready to help answer these questions so you can feel confident and safe on the roads.
Potholes are essentially caused by water and how it changes in different temperatures. You can take this lesson straight out of an elementary school science book.
Potholes start to form when water from melting snow or rain seeps into the dirt underneath the roads. When this moisture freezes in the winter, it expands. This expansion starts to push the road surface up.
Then — in the spring as temperatures rise — the water melts again. Since water in its liquid form takes up less space than ice, a gap is created. The pavement is now sticking up with nothing to support it where the ice once was.
When a car drives over this part of the road, the weight of it causes the pavement to break and sink into the gap.
Check out an infographic on this process from MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation) here.
It makes sense that potholes begin to pop up in the spring. Pothole season in Michigan typically starts in February-March and lasts all spring depending on the temperatures.
This spring, we have already seen some above average temperature days sprinkled in with our typical cold weather. This temperature change has most definitely led to the formation of new potholes.
It seems like every year potholes get worse. A major cause of potholes is heavier precipitation. This past year has been one of the wettest on record in Michigan and across the US.
“A yearly precipitation total includes rainfall and melted winter precipitation. Most of the cities that set yearly precipitation records had precipitation totals more than 12 inches above normal.” — mLive.com
Warmer temperatures due to climate change allow for more moisture in the air, which leads to higher precipitation. These high levels of precipitation cause all kinds of changes across our state like high water levels in the Great Lakes, flooding, and damage to our roads. This unfortunately means that potholes aren’t going anywhere. They will probably continue to happen more and more frequently, which is why you need to know what to do when you encounter them.
Despite the many wonderful things about our state, we have all heard over and over about the poor condition of our roads. But are they really that much worse than other states’ roads?
It’s easy to believe Michigan’s pothole problem is worse than in our neighboring states. We have such fluctuating temperatures, even higher amounts of water thanks to Lake Effect precipitation, and contribute way less funding to our road systems than other states do.
In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Timothy Fischer, the Michigan Department of Transportation’s deputy director of communications, says, “Michigan has ranked last in the nation in investing in its road system on a per-capita basis, according to the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan for Southeast Michigan, scheduled for adoption March 14 by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments General Assembly.”
Many conclude that based on these factors, we probably do have some of the worst roads and pothole problems in the country.
Potholes are hard to spot. There are no warnings, so you really need to be scanning the road at all times. This is tough and only made tougher by darkness and rain. That’s why most people do hit potholes at some point. Pothole damage costs U.S. drivers $3 billion per year, according to the AAA auto club.
Smaller potholes can cause damage over time. That annoying dip in the road on your way to work everyday may seem like nothing — but after hitting it hundreds of times, your car will suffer.
Tire Damage
Flat Tires
Damaged / Bent Rims
Suspension Damage
Steering Damage
Body Damage
Alignment Problems
There are ways to avoid potholes and the expensive damage that comes with them.
Proper maintenance. Make sure your car and your tires are always well maintained. Properly inflated tires can be a big help when a pothole takes you by surprise.
If a pothole is unavoidable, don’t swerve or stop. Slow down and keep your wheel straight so that your tires roll through the pothole. Slamming on your brakes or swerving too late can cause more damage.
If you see a pothole in time to swerve, make sure you can do so safely. Check your surroundings. A collision with another car or a tree will cause much more damage than the pothole would have — not to mention, cause you to be put in harm's way.
If you do hit a pothole, pull over whenever it’s safe to do so.
Check your car for signs of damage. Pay attention to your wheels and your tires.
If there is damage, make an appointment with an experienced professional. Our team has helped inspect and repair pothole damage for years and will be happy to make recommendations for you.
Take notes at the scene and with the event fresh in your mind (in case you’d like to make a claim later). Your notes should include:
Photos of the damage to your vehicle
Note the date and time of the event
Photos of the pothole (with a sense of scale if possible)
The road, intersection, city, and location on the road
Contact info of any witnesses
After getting back on the road:
Take note of unusual vibrations when you drive.
Take note if your car feels like it’s pulling to one side or doesn’t center correctly.
You can and should report any potholes to protect yourself and other drivers. You can report potholes in the state of Michigan here: https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9615_30883-69798--,00.html
Above, we said to take note if your vehicle feels like it’s pulling to one side. That’s because potholes can knock your car out of alignment.
When you buy your car, the wheels are aligned at a specific angle. The manufacturer has determined these angles are optimal for tire life and the safe handling of your vehicle.
Hitting a pothole can knock your vehicle out of its factory alignment, which can cause your tires to wear unevenly.
When your wheels aren't aligned, you may see or experience:
Irregular Tire Wear
Side Pulling (car pulls to right or left of road when you're trying to drive straight)
Off center steering wheel
Vibration in steering wheel
It's important to know that tire alignment problems often overlap with other causes. One of our qualified service technicians can inspect your car's alignment and let you know if the cause is related to your wheels.
Realigning tires and wheels can stop irregular tread wear, restore fuel economy, and restore overall automotive performance. Learn more about alignments and the equipment we use here.
It’s tough to know the extent of damage a pothole has caused unless you talk to a professional. A professional will be able to give you the best recommendations for services and repair to get you back on the road.
Repairing pothole damages can add up. Is there a way to get reimbursed for those expenses?
According to The Balance, “A pothole damage claim is a single-car accident, which is filed as an at-fault accident by your insurance carrier. Hitting a pothole is considered a collision. Your collision deductible will apply, and your rates could go up at your next renewal due to filing an at-fault claim.1 Sometimes the damage sustained is a lower dollar amount than your deductible, which would make filing a claim irrelevant.”
Make sure to do the following BEFORE making a claim to your insurance or the city, county, or state.
As described above in the section “What to do if you hit a pothole” check your vehicle for damage and take thorough notes!
Report the pothole
Repair the damage to your vehicle. Make sure to keep copies of your quotes, invoices and receipts.
As always, our goal is to make sure you are confident and safe on the roads. Our Wonderland team is here to help if you have any pothole related questions or need to repair pothole damages.
Sources (in order of appearance):
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_birthofPOTHOLE_91772_7.pdf
https://www.mlive.com/weather/2020/01/its-official-wettest-year-on-record-at-some-michigan-cities.html
https://www.noaa.gov/news/2019-was-2nd-wettest-year-on-record-for-us
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/03/11/michigan-potholes/3106835002/
https://retail.wonderlandtire.com/Services/Wheel-Alignments
https://www.thebalance.com/pothole-damage-claim-527103
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/02/22/michigan-potholes/362865002/
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