A new survey suggests car enthusiasts have become nervous about driving their vehicles, due to the risk of damage from potholes.
Insurance specialist Hagerty conducted research with 1,200 motorists to reveal their thoughts on the state of road maintenance in the UK – and the effect it has on driving habits.
Of those questioned, almost all (98 percent) said they now believed the UK’s roads to ‘be in a state of disrepair’.
Some 90 percent said they thought the condition of the country’s roads had deteriorated during the last 12 months.
One of the survey respondents commented: “I’ve never seen our roads in such a state. It doesn’t matter if it’s a country road or a carriageway. There’s potholes everywhere and clearly it’s not just one district.“
UK drivers anxious about potholes
Almost three-quarters (73 percent) of those surveyed said they had suffered damage to their car due to hitting a pothole.
Owners of both modern and classic cars were equally concerned about potholes on British roads.
However, those with older or rare vehicles were particularly worried, with 93 percent of classic car owners saying they were nervous about driving with the roads in their current condition.
More than half (54 percent) of respondents said they felt ‘anxious’ about driving because of potholes, with 78 percent admitting they were ‘frustrated’ by the situation.
With 50 percent saying they were often distracted when driving by trying to avoid potholes, the vast majority said they now used navigation apps to warn them in advance of damaged roads.
Local authorities fail to take action
Mark Roper, managing director of Hagerty UK, commented: “Our survey shows that Britain’s drivers are now fed up with the condition of our roads, with many expressing their frustrations in a very clear manner. Households are having to find money to fix damage to their cars, sometimes extensive and expensive.
“As a company that champions cars being used and cherished by enthusiasts, it’s very concerning to hear that the state of disrepair is making owners nervous to even take their cars out”.
More than half of the drivers surveyed said they had reported potholes and damaged roads to their local council.
Disappointingly, only seven percent said that quick action had been taken to deal with the pothole, if at all.
Dale Keller, CEO of the Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance, added: “Road safety matters to us all, yet Britain’s deteriorating road network suggests it is slipping down the list of safety priorities.
“The Department for Transport has a Road Maintenance Ratings map intended to name and shame local authorities into improving road maintenance. However, this reactive approach misses the bigger picture. Britain must move away from a ‘fix it when it fails’ mindset.”
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