As spring arrives, motorists including haulage operators must brace themselves for a series of battered suspensions and blow-outs, according to the Automobile Association (AA).
According to a recent AA poll of 3,000 Motorists, 85% of drivers have hit a pot hole within the last month with many drivers reporting that they are dealing with broken road surfaces on a daily basis.
Winter has left us with deep fractures in our roads as a reminder of the snow, ice and thaw that riddled
the country. The great Irish pothole, once the biggest complaint about our roads in years gone by, is back with a vengeance.
“2010 may be the year of the pothole,” says Director of Policy Conor Faughnan.
The AA poll, carried out by email between Friday 26th February and Tuesday 2nd March, asked drivers when was the last time that they hit a pothole while driving in Ireland. Overall, 85% reported having done so within the last month. The figure was lowest in Dublin (79%) and highest in Munster (91%) in counties most directly affected by the bad weather, notably Cork (92.6%) and Tipperary (93%).
“We got hundreds of detailed comments.Often it is just a bad road surface that locals get to know and be careful of. But it can be much more serious. A bad collision with a pothole can damage tyres and suspensions and could mean a costly repair, especially for those without comprehensive insurance,” Faughnan added.
