THE annualPothole Impact Tracker Reportfor repair company Kwik Fit, has shown that over the past twelve months, pothole damage has forced nearly 2.7 million cars off the road.

The report found that in the year to March 2023, 13.1 million drivers suffered damage to their car after hitting a pothole, and of these, one in five had to do without their vehicle for more than a week while it was undergoing repairs.

Some 57 per cent of British drivers say they have hit at least one pothole a week over the past twelve months, with the impact causing damage to over 13 million cars.

The average repair bill faced by each driver was £127, resulting in a total cost to the nation's motorists of £1.7bn.

Kwik Fit first carried its study into the cost of repairing the damage from pothole impact in 2013. The company's research shows that since then, the total burden on British motorists has more than doubled - rising by 121 per cent.

More than half of all drivers (51 per cent) say the condition of the roads in their area are worse than ten years ago.

Nearly half of all drivers think that a portion of the money the government raises through fuel duty and vehicle excise duty should be ringfenced for improving road surfaces but with road repairs said to cost more than £14bn to fix potholes the challenge for the Government is clear.

Furthermore, Inflation has driven the cost of individual repairs up over the last decade increasing the average repair bill to a car from pothole damage from £127 to more than £300.

Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said it is important for drivers to report problem potholes, even if they don't think they have damaged their car.

"We know councils have huge demands on their budgets, but it is better that they are aware of a pothole as early as possible," he said. "The condition of road surfaces only goes in one direction, so the longer a problem is left, the more costly it will be to repair. And obviously, in the meantime, the more damage it will be doing to vehicles and causing problems for drivers whose vehicles are off the road."

"Drivers who do hit a pothole should make sure they thoroughly check their vehicle to ensure the impact hasn't done any damage. This may not be obvious at first, because the impact could cause a slow puncture, cracked wheel rim, misalignment or other tyre damage which may not be immediately apparent.

"We recommend drivers who have experienced a particularly heavy impact to keep a close eye on how their car is handling in the days following the incident and if they have any concerns take it into a garage where it can be put on a ramp and checked thoroughly."