Potholes – The great british disgrace
Potholes Guide by Mark Checksfield, Head of Operations, Fleetmaxx Solutions
If you run vehicles for a living, you will know exactly what I am about to say.
Driving around the UK today sometimes feels less like using a modern road network and more like navigating an obstacle course. Drivers are weaving around craters, braking suddenly to avoid damage, and constantly scanning the road surface instead of focusing on the traffic ahead.
For businesses that rely on vehicles every day, this is more than an inconvenience. It is a serious operational problem.
A recent survey by Hagerty asked over 1,200 UK drivers about the state of the nation’s roads, and the results paint a very worrying picture.
The overwhelming frustration among UK drivers
The statistics alone tell the story.
An astonishing 98 per cent of drivers believe UK roads are now in a state of disrepair.
Even more concerning, 90 per cent say their local roads are worse than they were just 12 months ago. In other words, things are not improving. In many areas, they are getting worse.
Perhaps the most alarming figure is this. 73 per cent of drivers say they have experienced vehicle damage after hitting a pothole.
That is not a small number. That is the majority of drivers.
For fleet operators, van drivers, couriers and transport businesses, these are not just statistics. They are repair bills, downtime, missed deliveries and frustrated drivers.
The real cost of potholes to fleets and businesses
From an operational point of view, potholes cause a ripple effect of problems.
A single pothole strike can lead to:
-
Damaged tyres
-
Buckled wheels
-
Suspension damage
-
Steering alignment issues
-
Increased vehicle downtime
-
Unexpected maintenance costs
And the reality is that many of these incidents happen without warning.
Drivers can be travelling at a perfectly safe speed, doing everything right, and suddenly find themselves hitting a deep pothole hidden by water or shadows.
For fleets operating across the UK every day, the risk is constant.
Drivers are reporting potholes – but little is happening
What makes the situation even more frustrating is that drivers are trying to report problems.
According to the survey, more than half of drivers say they have reported potholes to their local councils.
However, only seven per cent believe their local authority dealt with the issue quickly, or at all.
That is a very small number of success stories.
Instead, many drivers report the same experience. Potholes get temporarily patched, only to reappear weeks later, often larger than before.
It is a cycle that wastes time, money and patience.
The impact of potholes on driver safety and confidence
There is also a safety issue that should not be ignored.
Over half of drivers said they now feel anxious about the condition of UK roads.
A staggering 78 per cent said they feel frustrated, and 50 per cent admit the condition of the roads distracts them while driving.
That distraction alone should concern anyone involved in road safety.
Instead of looking further ahead and driving smoothly, drivers are forced to constantly scan the road surface directly in front of their vehicle, trying to avoid damage.
Many drivers now rely on navigation apps such as Waze to warn them about potholes ahead. That in itself says a lot about how widespread the issue has become.
The view from professional drivers
Some of the comments from drivers in the survey highlight just how serious the problem has become.
Drivers described UK roads as:
-
“A national embarrassment”
-
“Dangerous”
-
“Worse than the lunar surface”
One professional driver said the roads have never been in such a dangerous state, while a motorcyclist admitted he now fears for his safety after decades of riding.
Another driver joked that he probably looks like he is drunk driving, when in reality he is simply trying to avoid potholes.
Behind the humour, there is clearly a lot of frustration.
Why the problem of potholes keeps coming back
Part of the issue appears to be the way road maintenance is currently handled.
Too often, potholes are repaired after they appear rather than prevented in the first place. Temporary fixes may solve the problem for a short time, but they rarely last.
Industry experts are increasingly calling for a shift towards preventative road maintenance instead of a reactive “fix it when it fails” approach.
Preventative maintenance is widely recognised as both safer and more cost effective in the long run.
More importantly, it helps protect the investment already made in the UK road network.
What this means for fleets
For businesses running vehicles, the state of UK roads is becoming a growing operational challenge.
Fleet operators now have to factor in:
-
Increased tyre wear
-
Higher maintenance costs
-
Unexpected repairs
-
Driver frustration
-
Safety concerns
These issues directly affect productivity and operating costs.
While businesses cannot fix the roads themselves, they can reduce the impact by maintaining vehicles properly, monitoring driver behaviour and ensuring issues are reported early before they escalate into major repairs.
Britain deserves better roads
The UK has one of the most advanced transport networks in the world, yet many of our local roads now feel neglected.
Drivers across the country are clearly frustrated. The data from this survey simply confirms what many of us already experience every day.
Potholes are no longer an occasional nuisance. They have become a widespread problem affecting motorists, businesses and road safety.
If we want to keep Britain moving safely and efficiently, road maintenance must become a priority again.
Because quite simply, the current situation is not good enough.
And if you speak to most drivers today, they will probably tell you the same thing.
Britain’s potholes have become the great UK disgrace.
Potholes: Conclusion From Mark Checksfield
With the current condition of many UK roads, it is more important than ever that fleet operators stay on top of vehicle safety.
Potholes place enormous strain on tyres, wheels and suspension. A vehicle can hit a deep pothole and suffer damage instantly, and sometimes that damage is not obvious until later. That is why daily vehicle checks are absolutely critical.
Drivers should be checking their tyres every day to make sure they are in good condition, correctly inflated and free from cuts, bulges or other damage. Catching an issue early can prevent a breakdown, reduce the risk of an accident and avoid costly repairs.
At Fleetmaxx Solutions, we always encourage fleets to take a proactive approach to vehicle safety. One simple way to do that is through our CheckedSafe daily walk round app.
CheckedSafe allows drivers to complete their daily vehicle inspections digitally, ensuring tyres, lights, brakes and other vital safety checks are recorded properly. Fleet managers also receive instant visibility of any defects so they can be dealt with quickly.
Even better, the service is incredibly affordable at just £1 per driver per week, and we offer a 30 day free trial, so you can try it before you buy and see the benefits for yourself.
In a time when our roads are placing more strain on vehicles than ever before, tools like this help ensure essential checks are not missed and that vehicles remain safe, legal and roadworthy.
It will not fix the potholes. But it will help protect your drivers, your vehicles and your business.
