Have you ever been driving down the road and suddenly your car slams into a pothole? If the pothole was shallow, then you feel as if you have just taken a tumble within your car. If you’re unlucky and the pothole was deep and wide, your car might sustain heavy damage to the suspension and you might even be involved in a car accident. What is the cause of a pothole and why are there so many of them on the road?
The Creation of the Pothole
A pothole is a type of defect on the surface of the road where a part of the road has deteriorated due to weathering and time. Over time, ice can make a pothole bigger and deeper as the pavement expands with temperature change. The pothole absorbs water, then when it becomes cold enough, the water will freeze, making the cracks in the pavement larger. Then, when warmer temperatures arrive, the ice thaws, leaving the pothole bigger and deeper. These potholes represent a great risk to drivers on the road and to pedestrians because they are often large, deep holes that people must traverse over. Potholes start with small cracks. These cracks progress over time with fatigue and become cracked in a pattern known as “alligator cracking”. Cars carrying heavy loads then driver over these cracks and create holes by knocking pavement out, creating what we know as a pothole.
Potholes and why they are dangerous
Potholes are dangerous because it makes defects in the road that people drive over. These defects cause the road to become uneven and unwieldy to drive upon. Potholes can cause damage to you and your car if you are driving over them at high speeds. It is rather easy to miss a pothole, especially when it is dark and potholes are less visible. Or it is often hard to avoid a pothole during inclement weather. If it is cold, potholes can be filled with snow, causing them to be filled up and hidden from view. Drivers can therefore drive over these potholes at high speeds and be completely taken aback by the initial shock. Even a shallow pothole can cause damage to your tires and suspension and cause an accident if the car becomes stalled within the pothole.