America. Home to some of the most iconic highways and stunning scenic roads in the world, right? This may be true, but the everyday reality for most drivers is a little less romantic.
The nation, and its cities in particular, seems to be facing a growing pothole crisis. A huge number of our roads are in substandard condition and deteriorating fast. It’s costing us money, and sometimes even lives.
We’ve put together 8 of the most alarming pothole statistics that every American should know. We’ll also delve into the reasons why potholes form, as well as what measures you can take to avoid them – and a costly repair bill.
1. 40% of major roads in the US are in poor or mediocre condition
Nearly half of all major roads across the country are in disrepair. A sprawling network of almost 4 million miles of streets and highways stretches across the US. And some estimates put the number of potholes on those roads at 55 million. That’s more than 13 potholes per mile.
The problem is at its worst in cities, which have to deal with over two thirds of all the nation’s traffic. 32% of urban roads and highways are judged to be in poor condition, and a further 24% are in mediocre condition.
2. 44 million drivers in 2022 had to pay for damage caused by potholes
In 2021, one in 10 US motorists had to fork out to repair damage caused to their cars by potholes. That was around 28 million drivers. But in 2022 the same figure rose sharply to 44 million, suggesting that the pothole crisis on America’s roads is becoming more severe.
Worse still, these same drivers report experiencing pothole damage to their vehicles more than once. Sometimes up to 3 times in 5 years.
Looking at age groups, drivers aged 35-44 appear to be the worst-affected. 31% report having to pay for pothole-related repairs.
3. 11% of roadside help calls to the AAA are for tire damage
In the winter and spring of 2021 the American Automobile Association (AAA) received 1.8 million help calls from the side of the road from vehicles with damaged tires. That was 11% of the AAA’s total calls during that period.
When a car hits a pothole it’s the suspension, wheels, of course, the tires which feel the brunt of the force. With US roadways littered with potholes it’s no surprise that so many drivers have needed roadside rescue due to damaged tires.
4. Potholes now cost US drivers $26.5 billion per year
A survey by the AAA found that the average cost per vehicle for repairs caused by potholes was $600. In 2021 this added up to an astonishing $26.5 billion in total repair costs for US motorists.
A decade ago, that annual figure was only at around $3 billion – a startling indication of the worsening problem on our roads.
5. The US state with the most potholes is Rhode Island
A 2021 study by Clunker Junker looked at complaints on Twitter as a way of determining which state is suffering from the most potholes. They first gathered every pothole-related tweet from every US state over the course of a year. Then they worked out the total length of road in every state. Put both bits of data together and you’ve got a pretty solid method of determining which state has the most potholes.
With 23.4 complaints per 1000km of road, Rhode Island tops the rankings. And the city with the most complaints? That was Atlanta, Georgia with a shocking 529.1 Twitter complaints per 1000km of road.
6. The City of San Diego, CA filled 30,000 potholes in 2013
Our deteriorating road surfaces are costing governments as much as individual drivers. Back in 2013 the City of San Diego spent $1.3 million repairing over 30,000 potholes across its urban area. We can only expect that number to have risen in recent years.
It’s reported that Oklahoma City, OK may even fill as many as 90,000 potholes per year.
7. 64% of US drivers are concerned about potholes
More than two thirds of all drivers are worried about potholes and the state of our roadways. That statistic varies regionally too. 74% of motorists in the Northeast are concerned, while only 57% in the West have the issue on their minds.
8. One third of traffic fatalities are caused by poor road surfaces
The financial burden of repairs aside, it’s no wonder drivers are concerned about the dangers of potholes. Between 30,000 and 40,000 people sadly die on our roads each year. And more than 30% of those incidents are caused by roads which could be in better shape.
The US has a multi-billion dollar backlog of necessary road repairs to carry out. A 2017 report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that making these repairs could dramatically reduce traffic accidents and save thousands of lives.
9. January 15th is observed as national pothole day.
Potholes are a worldwide problem that has existed for centuries – even Romans had potholes (source). To create awareness and encourage community involvement January 15th is celebrated as national pothole day in UK and US.
What causes potholes to form?
Potholes mostly begin to appear on roads during winter and spring. That’s because it’s a combination of moisture and temperature change that creates the freeze-thaw cycle that’s responsible for forming them.
Rainwater or snowmelt makes its way in through the cracks in the asphalt. That moisture then freezes, expands, then melts again. Repeat a few times over and you’ve got a void beneath the surface that has severely weakened the pavement. The weight and pressure of vehicles driving over that fragile spot will eventually cause the surface to break away, leaving a pothole.
What can drivers do about potholes?
According to the AAA one of the key things you can do to protect yourself from potholes is to ensure your tires are inflated to the correct pressure and that the tread depth is sufficient.
If you find yourself in a situation where it’s impossible to avoid a pothole, the best thing to do is slow down, take your foot off the brakes and keep the steering wheel straight before impact.
Conclusion
While the above insights show a worsening trend in the state of America’s roads, there is still hope the situation can improve. From 2022 to 2026, the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) plans to provide $454 billion in funding to be invested in improving roads, bridges and transit.
In the meantime, there are measures we can take as individual drivers, from making sure our tires are correctly inflated, to reporting potholes to our state departments. Some states have dedicated hotlines for this very purpose, like New York State Department of Transportation – 1-800-POTHOLE.
Sources:
- https://tripnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Transportation-Funding-Fact-Sheet-March-2022.pdf
- https://newsroom.aaa.com/2022/03/aaa-potholes-pack-a-punch-as-drivers-pay-26-5-billion-in-related-vehicle-repairs/
- https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/files/sharedassets/public/ltu/transportation/maintenance-operations/apwa-pothole-fact-sheet.pdf
- https://publicaffairsresources.aaa.biz/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Pothole-Fact-Sheet.pdf
- https://news.yahoo.com/aaa-puts-warning-georgia-drivers-153524745.html
- https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/SafetyProblem
