The Danger of Potholes and How to Avoid Them
Driving through Brownsville, Texas, can be an exhilarating experience. Our town has plenty of scenic routes with beautiful coastal views. However, like any urban area, Brownsville’s roadways are prone to wear and tear that can lead to potholes. While you may want to relax and enjoy your weekend ride around Bahia Grande, hitting a pothole is more than just a jarring interruption. Here are five reasons you should take the extra effort to avoid potholes whenever possible.
- Tire Damage: The most immediate effect of hitting a pothole is tire damage. The sharp edges of a pothole can cut through the tire surface, causing a blowout or puncturing the tire so that it loses air. Even in cases where there is visible damage, it can cause internal damage that results in tire failure in the future.
- Wheel Damage: Depending on how fast you are traveling when you hit a pothole, the impact can bend or warp the wheels of your vehicle. This can cause uneven tire wear, handling issues, and even affect your safety.
- Alignment: Any time your vehicle suffers an impact, whether you’ve hit a curb, a pothole, or suffered a minor fender bender, there is going to be some misalignment of the wheels. How great or small the misalignment will depend on the severity of the impact. It can cause steering issues and increase wear and tear on not just your wheels but your suspension system as well.
- Protect Your Suspension: Your vehicle’s suspension system, including shocks and struts, can be compromised by the sudden jolt from a pothole, leading to costly repairs.
- Prevent Undercarriage Damage: Potholes can scrape and damage the undercarriage of your car, including critical components like the oil pan and fuel tank.
Three Ways to Avoid Potholes
There is a long list of things you can do to steer clear of potholes, and these are our top three suggestions:
- Pay Attention: The first and most obvious way to avoid potholes is to keep a close eye on the road ahead. If you notice a pothole, navigate around it. If you can’t, slow down to lessen the impact as you drive through it.
- Use Major Roadways: While the backroads through Brownsville might have more serene views, the major roads and highways are likely to be better maintained than less frequented roads.
- Report Potholes: Finally, you can avoid potholes by helping to get rid of them altogether. Whenever you notice a pothole, report it to your local transportation department.
No matter how careful you are, you’re likely to hit a pothole now and then. If you’ve recently hit a pothole and your vehicle needs a wheel alignment or tire inspection, book an appointment with the service team here at Tipotex Chevrolet.