New research shows potholes have caused damage to nearly a third of cars – with an average repair bill of more than €160.
In a study of 2,000 drivers across England and Wales, 32 per cent said their cars had been damaged after hitting a pothole. One would not expect it to be any different in Ireland.
Eleven per cent of the drivers surveyed said they had spent more than €290 getting their car back on the road.
Conducted by Citroen in the UK, the research shows nearly a quarter of those with vehicle damage said they had tried to claim the cost of the repairs from their local council, while 42 per cent of the study participants said they wished their vehicle had better suspension to help deal with the rougher roads.
Another study, which was carried out around National Pothole Day in January, showed that 72 per cent of road users in Ireland and the UK have had to perform a dangerous manoeuvre to avoid the many potholes blighting the road network. At the time, it found that seven per cent of drivers have been involved in an accident because of a pothole and 66 per cent of people have had their vehicles damaged because of potholes, with 69 per cent spending more than €100 to repair the damage.