Pothole menace: what type of damage to check for and how to minimise risk

Damage to a vehicle from a “pothole strike” can have a significant financial impact on motorists, from tyre replacement to rim damage, plus a need for wheel realignment and checks on suspension and steering components. 

“Depending on the vehicle type and the severity of the damage, these costs can amount to tens of thousands of rand,” Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) spokesperson Eleanor Mavimbela said.

In severe cases, sudden tyre failure caused by a pothole can lead to loss of vehicle control, putting motorists and pedestrians at risk, she said.

According to Discovery Insure spokesperson Precious Nduli, pothole damage accounts for about 1.5% of vehicle-related claims by clients. “However, this does not account for accidents indirectly caused by potholes, such as when a driver swerves to avoid a pothole and has an accident,” she said.

“In the insurance industry, coverage for pothole-related incidents requires damage to the vehicle or the tyre rims and the claim amount must be larger than the client’s excess. As a result, our data only shows the more significant incidents and the costs for these.”

Repairs for smaller, common pothole incidents will usually cost from R500 to R2,500 depending on the vehicle and the extent of repair needed for the vehicle's tyres, she said. Larger incidents can run into tens of thousands of rand for bodywork and rim repairs. The most serious incidents can result in vehicle write-offs, in cases where there is a loss of control of the vehicle after hitting the pothole and a collision.

The most common types of vehicle damage from potholes, according to Discovery Insure, are: 

• tyre punctures and blowouts: sharp-edged potholes often puncture tyres or cause sudden blowouts, necessitating replacement of one or more tyres; 
• tyre sidewall bulges: even if a tyre isn’t punctured immediately, the impact can weaken the sidewall, leading to bulges that necessitate replacing the tyre; 
• bent or cracked wheel rims: hitting a deep pothole can dent alloy rims or crack them, especially with low-profile tyres. Rim damage is a frequent claim item; 
• wheel misalignment and imbalance: the force of impact often knocks a car’s wheel alignment out of spec or causes wheel balancing weights to dislodge. This leads to vibrations and uneven tyre wear; 
• suspension and undercarriage damage: potholes can strain or break suspension components (shocks, struts, control arms) and damage parts of the undercarriage. Broken springs or leaking shock absorbers are commonly reported after severe hits; and 
• damaged tyre walls and sidewalls: aside from punctures, tyres may suffer internal damage or bubbles in the sidewall, making them unsafe.  

The AA urged authorities to prioritise infrastructure maintenance and implement effective road rehabilitation programmes to reduce the number of potholes. In the interim, Mavimbela offered these tips for motorists:

• regularly check tyre pressure and tread;
• drive at lower speeds on roads in poor condition;
• avoid driving through puddles — they can be concealing deep potholes; and
• consider buying wheel and tyre insurance offered by some insurers, dealerships and tyre retailers.

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