Tips to Avoid Potholes and Damages
You know, Florida may be missing out on all the lovely snow that comes with the winter season, but there is one good thing about that. Without snow, we get to avoid the dreaded pothole season that affects other states. However, potholes still exist. They can turn a leisurely drive into an auto accident, or simply send your car into the auto shop. All of this can be avoided though with some simple tips.
- Splish, Splash, CRACK! That’s the sound you’ll hear when driving through a puddle of water masking a pothole. Driving in the rain is dangerous enough, don’t take the chance of driving through a puddle and losing a tire.
- Do some small-time maintenance. How is your drivetrain? Got enough tire pressure? A little tune-up will help keep your car ready to take on unsavory road conditions.
- Stay alert. We all should practice keeping focused on the road ahead when behind the wheel, and if you’re on a road notorious for bad driving conditions, keep your eyes peeled and slow down. Who cares if people are honking or passing you by, they won’t be footing your auto repair bill.
- Inspect for damage. Let’s say you did all of the above, and still wound up hitting a pothole. Nothing you can do about it now, but you should check the underside of your car for any possible damage. If it’s making some noises or driving a little differently suddenly, take it in and get it fixed before the damage gets worse.
- Busted tire. If all else fails, and you blow out a tire due to hitting a pothole or busted up pavement, be sure to have a car jack, lug wrench, and spare tire in your car. At least this way you can get where you need to go.
- Report the pothole to the city. Do this for two reasons. One, the earlier a pothole is reported, the sooner it can be filled. Second, if your vehicle incurs damage, and you report it soon enough, the city may reimburse you for the damages to your vehicle. So be sure to contact who you need to if you find yourself hitting an unavoidable hole.
Even the best drivers can get caught off guard, and it’s the worst to pay for damages that could have been avoided. We hope these tips help you out when it comes to driving on beat up streets.