Maryland is no stranger to cold, wet winters and poor road conditions. When moisture gets into cracks and crevices in road surfaces, it can then expand and contract due to rising and falling temperatures. This can cause the pavement to break up and create damaging potholes. Pothole damage can mean costly repairs to auto parts like wheels, rims, struts, and shocks and can even cause a dangerous blown tire situation. Drivers should keep a few strategies in mind to avoid and minimize damage.
Look Ahead
The sooner a pothole is spotted, the sooner the driver can take steps to avoid it or at least minimize impact. This includes looking for puddles, which can obscure potholes under muddy water. Like driving in any unusual road condition, keeping eyes on the road ahead and avoiding distractions is critical.
Reduce Speed
Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid hitting a pothole, in which case the best course of action is to slow down to minimize impact. However, in the interest of safety, drivers should always check the rearview mirror before braking suddenly.
Avoid Swerving
A driver’s first instinct may be to simply swerve around the pothole or puddle, but this is a dangerous tactic that should be avoided. Because this state’s roads tend to be heavily congested, swerving around a pothole could cause a collision with another vehicle. When the key reason for avoiding the pothole is to minimize damage, getting into a collision would clearly defeat this purpose, causing vehicle damage and possibly injuries to the parties involved.
Check Tires
One of the best ways to protect a vehicle from not only a pothole, but any road surface impact, is to make sure tires are correctly inflated and have adequate tread. Proper tire pressure levels can be found in the vehicle owner’s manual or on a sticker inside the driver’s door.
Pay Attention After Impact
After unavoidable contact with a pothole, drivers should feel and listen for any changes in the car’s operation. Wobbling or pulling to the left or right could indicate that the vehicle has been knocked out of alignment or suffered damage to tires, wheels, or suspension. New or unusual noises or vibrations could also indicate problems caused by the impact. A qualified automotive technician should check all of these for safety’s sake and to avoid further damage.
It’s essential to prevent pothole damage to your car; however, it might not be possible to avoid it indefinitely. Schedule your next auto repair with us at DARCARS Nissan of Rockville and be sure to ask our service technicians to check the overall health of your tires to continue preventing pothole damage.
Connect with us
