Potholes and punctures: A guide for Commercial Vehicle

What are the most common damages caused by potholes? What Leads To Pothole Formation On Our Roads? How Can I Reduce the Damage?

Potholes and humps on highways are currently important issues in developing countries. We hear about many traffic accidents every day, and one of the key causes in these circumstances is a pothole.

Potholes arise as a result of road fatigue, insufficient pavement thickness, poor road maintenance, heavy vehicle movement, and heavy rainfall. Road maintenance mainly focuses on indecent roadways caused by potholes, humps, and so on.

Some of the potholes on the road are the size of moon orbits, while others are getting worse and larger as more traffic passes through them. The damage causes the potholes to become deeper. When you pass the pothole at high speed your vehicle becomes highly dangerous and can drain your cash to maintain your truck.

What Leads To Pothole Formation On Roads and highways?

Potholes arise on roads due to a variety of reasons. Water damage is the principal offender and causes the majority of the difficulties. Water damage occurs when the combination of heat, sunlight, and heavy traffic causes fractures in the top asphalt layers' surface. These fractures allow precipitation and snow to infiltrate deep into the gravel layers, which serve as the roads' foundation. When temperatures dip, as they do in the winter or in early spring and late fall evenings, the water freezes.

The ground expands and pulls the pavement up when rainwater freezes. As the temperature rises, the ground returns to normal. Nonetheless, the pavement is usually higher. As a result, there is a space between the pavement and the earth beneath it.

The asphalt surface splits and collapses into a crater when vehicles drive over it. This occurrence results in the formation of yet another pothole. Furthermore, if the road was built without adequate drainage, the water damage can be significantly worse.

When water seeps through the asphalt layers, it saturates the ground beneath the road rather than draining to other regions distant from the road. The saturation, or pooling of water, deteriorates or even washes away the soil beneath the asphalt.

This, of course, renders large portions of the ground completely unstable. Potholes arise when cars and commercial trucks drive over shaky parts of the road. Large sections of asphalt will come off in severe circumstances, making driving on the road difficult. Potholes are also formed as a result of vehicle accidents, diesel fuel leakage, and fires or excessive heat.

Types of Pothole damage

Pothole damage is a major concern for Indian drivers. Around 70% of automobiles in India are reported to have been damaged by potholes. This is due to poor road maintenance, which results in more potholes.

Pothole damage is classified into two types:

• Damage from potholes to the vehicle and its body
• Damage to the engine or other mechanical components

Common Damages caused by potholes

You're driving down the street when your truck is shaken by a hard impact without warning. You collided with something, but it wasn't another vehicle or a person. A pothole was there.

Many drivers would dismiss it as insignificant. Isn't it just a pothole? It might be a major thing. Potholes can harm your vehicle in a variety of ways. Let's look at the most Common Damages caused by potholes:

1. Damage to the wheel bearings and engine.
2. Damage to the wheel and tire.
3. Suspension damage
4. Wheel Alignment Problems.
5. Problems with steering.
6. Damage to the wheel speed sensor and chassis.
7. Damage to the axle.
8. Punctures

Punctures, flat tyres and tyre bulging are the most common types of pothole damage. When a vehicle drives too quickly over a pothole, the impact can cause the tyre to crack. This causes Punctures, flat tyres and tyre bulging, necessitating the purchase of a new tyre for the vehicle.

If a puncture is not repaired, the tyre may deflate, potentially causing a loss of control.

How Can I Reduce the Damage?

• Check Your Suspension: Be certain that your suspension services are in excellent working order at all times. Your suspension absorbs shocks while driving, providing you a smoother ride. Repair worn-out components and have them serviced on a regular basis.

• Check Your Tires: Make sure your tires are properly inflated according to the manufacturer's specifications for your vehicle. This functions as a barrier between the pothole and your vehicle, absorbing the impact of the pothole.

• Take It Easy: If you're travelling in a dark or unfamiliar area, it's recommended to keep your speed down. Maintain a clear view of the road, keep attentive, and avoid puddles. Use your headlights to provide appropriate lighting on the road.

Enhancing your driving habits cannot be overstated because it is the most crucial step toward being a safer driver.

What to do when I hit the pothole?

Potholes can cause serious harm to your vehicle depending on how fast you drive over them and how big they are. When you hit a pothole, let go of the brakes and let your tires roll through to assist limit damage.

If you believe the vehicle is damaged, you must contact your insurance or a repairer to arrange for its recovery. If you have insurance, keep in mind that it will most likely not cover any consequence damage that may occur if you opt to drive the vehicle after striking a pothole.

How Can I File a Pothole Damage Claim?

To file a claim for pothole damage, you must first notify the organization responsible for the road of the incident. Again, the official government website can assist you with this. You will need to outline:

What was the extent of your vehicle's damage?Why do you believe the organization was to blame? Specifically, the pothole!The location of the damage, including the name of the road and highway.When and where did the damage occur?

Potholes are a regular annoyance on today's highways. They are sometimes unavoidable. Potholes are more disguised during the winter, increasing the likelihood of hitting one.

Although potholes cannot be avoided, you can reduce the impact on your vehicle. If you can't avoid a pothole, slow down and manage your way around it to decrease the impact. That is, you must establish appropriate driving habits, especially when traveling on terrible roads or highways with a lot of potholes.