The guide to potholes

Every driver fears a pothole. How can something so small put such a huge dent in your wallet?

The RAC Pothole Index suggests that UK drivers have to contend with at least one million potholes across the country’s roads, but with the caveat that this varies from season to season.

It’s also worth noting not all holes on the road that you see - or drive into - are potholes. Both local councils and insurers can have varying measurements for a hole to be considered a pothole, with Allianz stating this ranges from 20mm deep to over 50mm deep and 150mm to 300mm+ wide. If it’s less than this, it could be considered general wear and tear on the road surface.

In this article, we’ll explain how you can report potholes in your local area and how to potentially claim for pothole damage.

What causes potholes and how are they formed?

Potholes normally form during cold weather, especially in wet and freezing conditions. This is why you’re most likely to find them during winter and spring.

Those April showers and they’re drip, drip, dripping are not as cutesy as the Disney song would have you believe…

1. Potholes form when water seeps into cracks on the road.
2. As the water freezes, it expands…
3. As more and more cars drive over the road, the tarmac suffers increased damage - eventually leading to potholes.

How dangerous are potholes?

Potholes can not only pose risks to drivers and their vehicles but can also cause injury to pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. If a cyclist was to fall over a pothole and end up stricken, they could be at a risk of being run over.

The RAC’s Pothole Index states 3 in 10 drivers say their vehicles have suffered pothole-related damage over a 12-month period, with the following being regular issues:

• Broken suspension springs
• Distorted wheels
• Damaged shock absorbers

An IAM RoadSmart survey found that 5% of 1,855 members have spent over £1,000 on repairs to damaged tyres, suspension and steering due to poor road conditions and 24% spending between £300 and £600 on repairs due to potholes.

Common damage includes wheels, tyres and suspension.

Can I claim compensation for pothole damage?

Your local council is responsible for pothole damage on local roads. Motorways and A-roads fall under different organisations:

• England - Highways England
• Northern Ireland - Department for Infrastructure
• Scotland - Transport Scotland
• Wales - Traffic Wales

This means if you hit a pothole, your first call of action should be to contact the local authorities or above departments before attempting to claim on your car insurance.

Under Section 41 of The Highways Act 1980, UK highway authorities are required to maintain roads in a safe condition. This includes fixing potholes. 

Section 58, however, offers the authorities a chance to defend their inspection and repair system. To succeed in your claim, you must prove the authority was negligent and the failure to fix a pothole caused the damage to your vehicle.

How do you claim for pothole damage?

To claim for your pothole damage, there are a few steps you should follow:

• Take photographs - Make sure you have clear evidence of the damage caused by the pothole.
• Keep all your documents - Keep receipts for any pothole damage repairs carried out.
• Identify the authority - Head to gov.uk to find out who manages the road.
• Submit your claim - To the relevant local authority or highway department.

How to report potholes in your local area

You don’t have to damage your vehicle to report potholes.

If you spot one while on your travels, you can use the government’s report a pothole option to help keep the roads and other road users safe.

If you want to report a pothole on a major road, contact the authorities listed above.

There are also a number of third-party websites you can use to inform the authorities of any issues. This may be quicker as they will send the reports of problems to the council on your behalf. These include:

• FixMyStreet - A website with details on how many reports they’ve received in the past week, and how many problems have been fixed in the past month.
• Fill That Hole - This website states there’s an average of one road defect for every 110 metres of road. In association with Cycling UK, it helps the public easily report potholes and other road defects, especially those that may put cyclists at risk.

In January 2026, the Department for Transport launched a map rating council road repair progress.

This map uses a traffic light system (red, amber, green) to show how effectively 154 local authorities are maintaining local roads.

The government states: ‘This builds on the Autumn Budget announcement of £7.3 billion of funding over the next four years which will give long term certainty and allow councils to repair potholes effectively, moving away from expensive, short-term repairs and instead investing in long-term preventative measures.’

If your car is out of action after hitting a pothole, you might still want to travel around. Take out temporary car insurance to drive a friend or family member’s vehicle with complete peace of mind - and no impact on their no claims bonus.

Sources

https://www.gov.uk/report-pothole

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/how-well-is-your-council-fixing-your-roads

https://www.fillthathole.org.uk/

https://www.fixmystreet.com/

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/driving-advice/rac-pothole-index-statistics-data-and-projections/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgj1m1ze8go

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2y315821yo

https://www.allianz.co.uk/news-and-insight/news/allianz-pothole-definitions.html

https://www.confused.com/compare-car-insurance/guides/how-to-claim-for-pothole-damage