BALTIMORE — Spring break will be here soon and a lot of people will be hitting the road to check out the sights. Unfortunately, one of those sights drivers might encounter is the dreaded pothole.
Even though Maryland has had a relatively mild winter, the large temperature swings along with a lot of rain over the past few weeks have made a perfect recipe for potholes.
Damage related to pothole repairs, cost American drivers more than $26 billion a year.
The problem is so bad one out of every 10 U.S. drivers reports dealing with pothole damage.
The engineering consulting firm O’Connell & Lawrence Inc. uses new 3D laser technology to compile a database of which roads need attention. It can identify potholes and tell public works departments how bad conditions are on the roads, down to the centimeter.
After crews spot them, someone's got to fill them.
A company called American Road Patch uses innovative pothole repair techniques by sealing traditional asphalt repairs to make them more permanent.
O’Connell & Lawrence were hired by Baltimore County to survey every inch of pavement and spot potholes over 6,633 miles worth of pavement throughout the county.
AAA has a lot of tips to avoid those pesky potholes and the costly repair costs that often come with them.
One of the most common problems of hitting a pothole is blown tires.
Those roadway craters also can cause dented rims; damaged wheels; dislodged wheel weights; displaced struts; dislocated shock absorbers; as well as damaged exhaust systems.
The list doesn't stop there. Drivers might notice other telltale signs of pothole damage such as misaligned steering systems or ruptured ball joints.
AAA said more than 20% of all tire-related service calls in Maryland resulted in the need for a tow, and almost half of those were because the car didn't have a useable spare.
Drivers might want to check and see if tow service and the damage caused by potholes are covered by their insurance.
Typically, a flat tire isn't covered because it's considered wear and tear; however, a blowout, tow, and the damage caused by a pothole usually is covered by insurance.
Besides being on the lookout for them, some ways to avoid potholes while driving include increasing your following distance so you can spot a pothole in advance because it could be hidden by the vehicle in front of you and avoiding puddles as they might be potholes in disguise.
Drivers also will want to make sure their tires are properly inflated and have a healthy tread.
AAA suggests drivers take care of their spare and check their trunk as many newer cars do not have spare.
If a car starts making any strange noise or vibrations after hitting a pothole, aaa advises not to ignore it but get it inspected immediately.
