Each season brings unique weather-related safety hazards, and potholes are a common and dangerous one in the spring. Here are some tips to be mindful of:
- Be careful of other drivers and pedestrians when navigating around potholes. Keep a safe distance away from the car in front of you to reduce the risk of collision if that vehicle brakes suddenly.
- If you are unable to avoid a pothole, slow down as much as possible before riding over the pothole – do not break while directly over the pothole – and keep both hands with a firm grip on the steering wheel to prevent losing control of your vehicle.
- Confirm your tires are properly inflated. This will help reduce damage caused by potholes if you happen
to hit one. More damage is likely if tires are under-inflated. - Avoid driving through puddles. What might look like a puddle may in fact be a pothole that is full of water. Potholes hidden in water can cause serious damage to your vehicle, it’s best to drive cautiously around standing puddles if you can safely do so.
- Potholes and parking lot/sidewalk damage can pose a significant trip and fall liability and personal injury hazard in the spring as well. If you are a business owner, it’s important to keep parking lots and sidewalks well-maintained to prevent an accident.
- Pedestrians – Use caution when navigating through parking lots or across roadways. Uneven walking surfaces are more common in the spring than any other season.