Breakdowns caused by potholes up by nearly a fifth in 12 months A repair bill for pothole damage to your car could set you back up to £460 A car passing a pothole in Ashford in Kent. (Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire ) New figures, published by the RAC, have indicated that vehicle breakdowns caused by potholes increased by nearly a fifth in 12 months. The report revealed that breakdowns caused by wear and tear from poor road surfaces in the first quarter of this year (January to March) increased by 19% compared to the same period in 2024. ‌ The RAC reported 9,439 callouts to pothole breakdowns in the first three months of 2025, while 7,904 were reported from January to March last year. Potholes are commonly formed when water freezes and expands after entering cracks in road surfaces. Vehicle problems caused by potholes include damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels. Article continues below In some cases, a repair bill for pothole damage could set a driver back almost £500. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "Our pothole-related breakdown data is a very clear reflection of the true state of the UK’s roads, and it sadly shows the pothole plague is as prevalent as ever. "Suffering a breakdown due to wear and tear caused by the poor quality of roads is frustrating beyond belief," he added. "Particularly as the average cost of repairing anything more than a puncture is £460. ‌ "The cost of motoring is high enough already without having to fork out extra money to get your car back on the road." Mr Williams continued: "Drivers shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of these costs – they’re only having to because the roads have been allowed to get into such a dire state. "After filling dangerous potholes as permanently as possible, we urge councils to prioritise preventative maintenance such as surface dressing to stop future potholes appearing." ‌ Recent research, which was also conducted by the RAC, showed that just 3% of England’s local road network underwent any form of maintenance in the 2023/24 financial year. The analysis of Government data found 4,894 miles of council-run roads were strengthened, resurfaced or preserved in 2023/24, which is only 3% out of the total of 183,054 miles. The estimated cost of bringing damaged roads back up to scratch in England and Wales is an astounding £16.8 billion. ‌ The Government have reportedly allocated around £1.6 billion to local roads maintenance for this financial year, but a quarter of that funding is being held back until authorities have provided sufficient evidence that they are using it appropriately. While the RAC estimated that the average repair bill for pothole damage is £460, the average payout from councils was calculated at just £260 per case as of November 2024. Whether your vehicle is damaged or not, it's important to report any potholes you come across to the relevant local authority. Article continues below Regardless of whether or not the council will carry out a repair on the area of damaged road, reporting it will prevent councils from rejecting claims on the basis that they weren't aware of the pothole existing.