Potholes
Any experienced driver knows what it feels like to run over a pothole. For some, that startling road imperfection can cause expensive damage to their vehicle; potholes can potentially harm the components of an automobile’s suspension. Here are some tips to help protect your vehicle from the sudden impact of potholes:
- Keep your car’s tires properly inflated to the manufacturer’s specifications to cushion your ride and absorb some of the shock. Check the owner’s manual for the suggested air pressure.
- Keep potholes in view by leaving a fair cushion between you and the car ahead. Make sure that if you are to swerve out of the way that there are no cars alongside you.
- If you cannot maneuver around a pothole in time, decrease your speed. Running over a pothole at a high rate of speed increases the risk of damaging the tires, wheels, shocks, struts, or springs.
- Hold the steering wheel with a firm grip when driving over potholes to maintain control of the vehicle.
- Never brake directly above a pothole because braking shifts the body of the car to the front, which could cause more damage upon impact.
- Be on the lookout for puddles in the road that may be hiding a deep pothole.
Hitting a large pothole may cause wheel misalignment. This can create an imbalance in tire wear, and a tire’s life is shortened by uneven wear.
If the blow from a pothole is strong enough to break a shock or strut, the steering accuracy and stability of the vehicle may put the driver in serious jeopardy. This is especially true at high speeds or when rounding tight corners. If your car has an unstable suspension due to a break, take it in to be repaired as soon as possible.