A third of cars damaged by potholes

New research shows that potholes have caused damage to nearly a third of cars – with an average repair bill of over €160.

In a study of 2,000 drivers across England and Wales, 32 per cent said their car had been damaged after hitting a pothole.

Eleven per cent of the drivers surveyed said they had spent more than €290 on getting their car back on the road.

Conducted by Citroen UK, the research shows nearly a quarter of those with vehicle damage said they had tried to claim back the cost of the repairs from their local council, while 42 per cent of the study participants said they wished their vehicle had better suspension to help deal with the rougher roads.

Another study, which was carried out by National Pothole Day in January, showed that 72 per cent of road users in Ireland and the UK have had to perform a dangerous manoeuvre to avoid the many potholes blighting the road network.

At the time, it found that seven per cent of drivers have been involved in an accident because of a pothole and that 66 per cent of people have had their vehicles damaged because of potholes, with 69 per cent spending over €100 to repair the damage.