HOW ROAD CONSTRUCTION & POTHOLES CAN AFFECT YOUR CAR
Imagine driving across the lovely countryside enjoying the breeze when you feel your car shake and leap. You hear the familiar clang of metal hitting the pavement. That’s when you know you just struck a massive pothole.
But how hazardous is striking a pothole for our cars? How much damage can one pothole cause to your vehicle, and what are the most vulnerable components of your automobile when you strike a pothole or drive on a damaged road? Why are road constructions and potholes hazardous for your vehicle? Let’s have a look.
Poorly Constructed Roads
A vehicle’s vulnerability to damage is increased while driving on roads that have been left uneven and occasionally hazardous during construction. Make sure your tires are in good condition if you plan on driving through construction zones.
In the event of a collision with machinery or other debris, a gradual leak or weak, worn tire might swiftly turn into a blowout. In addition, a tire blowout might leave you stuck in a dangerous location or perhaps cause an accident.
It’s also a good idea to double-check your tire suspension before you leave the house. Tires that don’t line up properly can throw your car’s balance and suspension out of whack at the slightest bump on the road. A lack of tire grip makes it more difficult for your vehicle to control and, more critically, stop.
Potholes
To describe any dip in the road surface where transportation has removed broken bits of road, the word “pothole” is appropriate. Potholes can appear at any time. Potholes may cause tire damage, fluid leaks, bent rims (particularly if your car is modern and aluminum-based), and even damage your exhaust system, depending on how fast and hard you strike it. If odd noises coming from your exhaust, you should have it checked out immediately.
What damage can Potholes and Road Construction do to your car?
1. Wheel Damaging and Tire Blowouts
In the most severe pothole encounters, you may notice tire blowouts or punctured wheels. It might cause a blowout and perhaps damage to the wheels. If you’re driving at a reasonable pace at the time of an accident, you may lose control of your vehicle and swerve into oncoming traffic.
2. Misalignment
If you have an unstable steering system, hitting a pothole hard will cause your automobile to lose its ability to straighten.
You may not manage the car as well as you normally would if the vehicle is misaligned due to the impact. As a result, your risk of being involved in an accident greatly increases.
3. Exhaust System Damages
Some potholes are deep enough to cause damage to your exhaust system, which can cause it to scrape or even crash into the ground. Damage to your engine is possible if it is severe enough. A malfunctioning exhaust system can potentially cause you and your passengers to become intoxicated by carbon monoxide.
4. Physical Impact on your Car:
If you strike a pothole hard enough, your car may sustain physical damage. It is the sound of your automobile making contact with the pavement or the ground underneath you.
If you’ve ever struck a pothole, you know that it may do a variety of physical damage to your vehicle. Cars with little clearance are the most often victims of these incidents. To begin with, if you hit a pothole, you may damage your fenders.
5. Chips and Dings
During road construction, tiny fragments of rock and debris are thrown into the air and picked up by other vehicles. It has cosmetic and functional consequences, including paint peeling and minor dents, but windshield dents are critical. Even if the fracture is little, it’s preferable to fix it as quickly as possible to prevent it from deepening and spreading.
6. Reduced Visibility
Several construction workers set up their work areas at a spot along the road when visibility is severely reduced. Construction may occur around curves in the road, behind huge trees, or in very busy areas at particular times of the day.
It will reduce visibility while heavy machinery, employees, and warning signs are positioned in certain areas. The risk of catastrophic traffic accidents near the building site rises rapidly as a result.