Furious British drivers have demanded councils stop dodging responsibility and pay for damage caused by potholes, a poll by leading temporary car insurance provider, Cuvva, has revealed.
Cuvva found 85% of drivers surveyed have hit a pothole while driving – a figure that lays bare the state of Britain’s roads amid the ongoing pothole crisis.
86% of respondents said local councils should pay up for damages – with drivers fed up with an existing system that can see authorities let off through a frustrating loophole.
So long as authorities have not yet received a report of a specific pothole, they are not held responsible for any damage, if a car hits it.
According to a recent Freedom of Information request, there are well over 500,000 potholes in Britain on council roads – with some councils averaging over a month to fix potholes after they’re reported.
In some cases, local authorities admit that staffing issues, insufficient number of inspectors and staff turnover might have contributed to adequate inspections not being carried out.
It comes after the Government announced a 30-point plan for improving British roads – including £100m over the next 10 years for pothole and road repairs, a glimmer of hope for drivers.
Darryl Bowman from Cuvva said: “I feel the pothole pain everyday. There is a stretch of road near where I live where cars literally have to dodge around a series of craters. As a matter of fact I have broken two suspension springs this year.
“With more than eight out of 10 of us admitting to having hit a pothole, making sure you’re always fully protected with comprehensive insurance is vital. Either short-term cover if you’re borrowing or lending a car or annual cover if you’re insuring your own car longer-term. That way you protect yourself from whatever the road throws at you.
“And if you spot a pothole in your area, report it to your local authority, so it’s on their radar.”
