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Where does NY rank for worst pothole problems?

By FOX 5 NY STAFF
Updated  November 16, 2022 6:33am EST
U.S.
FOX 5 NY

Pothole problems

It's that time of year when the winter weather starts damaging the roads and drivers pay the price of hitting potholes.  

NEW YORK - U.S. drivers spend nearly $3 billion a year fixing damage caused by potholes, according to AAA. But some states are worse than others. QuoteWizard released its list of the states with the worst pothole problems.

Michigan was ranked first, followed by Indiana, Rhode Island, and Washington state. The team of analysts looked at Google search statistics over the last year and found Michigan had more searches for pothole-related complaints than any other state. Wyoming, Nebraska and Delaware have the fewest potholes. Across the tristate area, New Jersey finished 7th and New York 10th.

New York City also finished 7th on the list of cities with the worst pothole problems. Nashville finished first, followed by Spokane and Yakima – both in Washington state.

Related:  How thousands of motorists evade tolls with license plate tricks

How potholes can hurt your car

  • Pop your tire
  • Throw off your alignment
  • Damage your wheel rims
  • Ruin your car's shocks and struts
  • Ruin the engine or exhaust system

How much can you expect to pay for pothole repairs

  • The average repair bill connected with a pothole mishap is $306
  • In 64% of cases, the repair bill is $250 or less
  • For 30% of people, the related bill is between $250 and $1,000
  • Only 6% of incidents result in a bill that’s over $1,000

How much a driver pays to repair pothole damage depends on the model and make of the vehicle, as well as a number of other factors. For example, replacing a tire can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 or more, depending on the vehicle.

How to protect your vehicle from potholes

  • Make sure tread grooves are deep enough. If not, buy new tires.
  • To minimize pothole damage, make sure your tires are properly inflated.
  • If avoiding a pothole isn’t possible, slow down, keep your foot off the brake pedal and try to straighten the steering wheel before impact.

Also, recent research says to watch out if you’re between the ages of 35 and 44 – potholes may be out to get you. Drivers in the age range reported more pothole damage than any other age group, with almost one-third of drivers saying they’ve dealt with pothole damage in the last year.

Potholes also seem to strike twice — or more – according to AAA. The agency says once a car has been damaged by a pothole, it’s likely to happen at least two more times in a five-year span.