Top Tips To Avoid Pothole Damage

What do you do when you are driving and see a pothole looming in the distance? Are you supposed to swerve, hit the brakes, fly through? It depends on the situation, but try to avoid them as much as possible. The reality is that potholes can sustain immense damage to your car if you do not know how to handle the situation.

Here are several ways you can avoid damage from these hazardous holes:

Have eyes on the road at all times. The best way to spot a pothole early is to watch the cars in front of you (hint: you should already be doing this when driving). Other drivers will dip, swerve, and brake. Keep a safe distance from other vehicles in case the car in front of you hard brakes.

Beware of Puddles. It would be best to be cautious when you see puddles because they don't indicate how deep the pothole could be.

Follow your intuition on

When to Slow Down: If you decide to slow down, make sure you have enough time to do it safely. Check your rearview mirror. Release the brakes as you are hitting the pothole to minimize damage

When to Drive Full Speed Ahead: Sometimes, it is better to drive straight through the pothole, especially when it is too late to think otherwise or other objects or vehicles that prevent you from swerving.

This is not always a bad idea, considering you can avoid weight transfer. For instance, if your car weighs 2 tons when driving at a steady pace, the front wheels will carry roughly half the weight, and the rear will take the other half. Whenever you engage the brakes nearing a pothole, the front carries more weight than the rear. Occasionally, pressing on the brakes could lead to a more significant impact when you hit the pothole. 

If you believe your vehicle recently sustained damage from a pothole, come to BIG G TIRE & AUTO to get an inspection. Our certified team of technicians will help you uncover and fix any problems.