As the horrific winter fades into a distant memory the battle scars continue to litter our roadways in the form of potholes. Everywhere you turn, potholes, some as big as craters, are causing motorists a lot of misery while driving on the roads and when paying for necessary repairs caused from landing in these ‘landmines’. Potholes are wreaking havoc to cars on roadways across the region according to experts at AAA Mid-Atlantic.

Flattened tires and fed-up motorists underscore how pervasive the problem is. Since January, AAA Mid-Atlantic roadside rescue crews have responded to 119,933 service calls for flat tires throughout its service area, an increase of 22% year over year.

Now, motorists can use the AAA Mid-Atlantic pothole reporting page at:  http://midatlantic.aaa.com/PGA/ReportaPothole to report potholes in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia.

Potholes form when moisture collects in small holes and cracks in the road surface. The moisture expands and contracts when temperatures go up and down.  This breaks up the pavement and, combined with the weight of passing cars, eventually results in a pothole; heavy spring rains have only added to this prolific problem.

According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) pothole repairs are a priority.  Since the NJDOT fiscal year started in July 2013, road crews have filled more than 230,000 potholes in New Jersey, up by 70,000 compared to an average year. Additionally, NJDOT is allowing crews throughout the state to close travel lanes where necessary during daytime hours, including during peak travel times for priority repairs.

Besides causing damage and inconvenience, potholes are extremely costly.  Adjusted for inflation, the annual tab for pothole damage is likely to set motorists in the USA back nearly $6.4 billion, a leading traffic engineer calculates. Potholes cause a variety of woes for motorists every time they get behind the wheel, posing a threat to traffic safety and an unexpected financial burden.  Hitting a pothole at a high speed increases the chances of damaging tires, wheels, shocks, or struts.

Costs for repairing damage caused by potholes can range from $50 for a simple wheel alignment to $500 or more for replacing a top-of-the-line alloy wheel. That’s only a fraction of what drivers end up paying. Compounding matters, vehicle suspension and steering components may also be affected, to the tune of $2,500.

Motorists file about 500,000 auto insurance claims each year for pothole damage, estimates the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA), amounting to approximately $6.4 billion.  And much of that comes straight out of consumer’s pockets, advises AAA Mid-Atlantic. And it could be even higher this year, the auto club says, given the most prolific outbreak of potholes since the winter of 2009-2010, which was plagued by four Nor’easters, including Snowmageddon.

“Hitting even one especially severe pothole could alter the alignment of a wheel and cause uneven tire wear,” said Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Uneven tire wear means the tire will need to be replaced sooner than necessary, causing a needless expense. A broken shock or strut from a pothole could alter the steering and handling of a vehicle, and create dangers when driving at higher speeds or in tight corners. Broken suspension components should be repaired immediately.” With so many pothole pitfalls this year, area motorists should heed these safety tips:

• ·         Keep an eye on traffic patterns. Cars that slow down or move quickly to other lanes may be a sign of major potholes or road damage ahead.
• ·         Beware of snow, ice or water that may be concealing a deep pothole.
• ·         Report major potholes or road damage to your state or local transportation department.
• ·         Avoid swerving. Swerving can cause a loss of vehicle control.
• ·         Slow down. Carefully avoid sharp impact with potholes.
• ·         Roll through. Rolling through the pothole is better than braking rapidly.
• ·         Inflate tires properly. Over inflated and under inflated tires increase risk of tire and wheel damage.

Motorists can report potholes online at http://midatlantic.aaa.com/PGA/ReportaPothole. [TLS]