Potholes a ‘major safety concern’

British motorists still see potholes as a bigger safety issue than speeding or drink and drug driving, according to IAM RoadSmart. The charity has published the findings of its annual Safety Culture survey, which asked more than 2,000 motorists for their views of key road safety issues.

The survey found 79% of respondents perceived potholes to be a bigger issue for them than three years ago. Meanwhile, only 5% saw potholes as a smaller problem compared to last year. It also found that 90% of respondents had been affected by potholes in the past year, with 32% stating they had even changed route to avoid them. A further 16% of those surveyed stated that they have reported a pothole to the authorities.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “The fact that motorists perceive potholes to be a bigger issue compared to drink driving and speeding, which cause more deaths, goes to show how much of a problem the pothole crisis continues to be.

“Not only is damage to vehicles caused by potholes expensive and inconvenient, but it is also a major safety concern affecting all road users.

“In particular, potholes pose a serious risk of injury to those on two wheels, as well as potentially causing drivers to swerve into oncoming traffic.”