It’s that time of year: Spring season freeze and melt cycles cause our weary roads to erupt with punishing potholes. Another colder-than-average and snowy Ontario winter means additional road maintenance challenges for cities and towns across the province.
What a pothole can do to your car
Hitting a pothole can damage tires, wheels, steering and suspension, wheel alignment, and more. Hitting even one especially severe pothole could alter the alignment of a wheel and cause uneven tire wear. Uneven tire wear means the tire will need to be replaced sooner than necessary. That bad bump can wind up costing car owners hundreds of dollars in repairs!
CAA’s Worst Roads campaign
Starting March 23, 2015, you can start voting in CAA’s annual Worst Roads campaign. Nominating roads is an opportunity for drivers, cyclists, transit riders, and pedestrians to identify the roads they think are in most need of repair.
This year, in addition to the provincial top 10 list, CAA will also be developing six regionalized Worst Roads list for smaller areas throughout Ontario. These regional lists will provide a voice to communities across the province.
While many people associate the campaign with nominating roads with potholes, CAA wants to hear about all the challenges motorists experience using Ontario’s roads – everything from potholes, pedestrian and cycling safety, congestion, traffic signal timing, and confusing road signs.
The CAA Worst Roads campaign is a great way to have your say on what road projects should be receiving priority. Visit www.worstroads.ca between March 23 and April 17th to vote and have your opinion heard. By nominating streets, you’ll also be entered for a chance to win weekly and grand prizes! You can also share your opinion with @CAASCO_News on Twitter using the #ONWorstRoads hashtag.
Signs your car was damaged by a pothole
If you’ve hit a pothole and are experiencing any of these problems, come in to an Active Green + Ross Tire Repair Centre soon so we can take a look at your car and help you solve any problems the pothole may have caused:
- Loss of control, swaying when making routine turns, bottoming-out on city streets, or bouncing excessively on rough roads. These are indicators that the steering and suspension may have been damaged. The steering and suspension are key safety-related systems. Together, they largely determine your car’s ride and handling. Key components are shocks and/or struts, the steering knuckle, ball joints, the steering rack/box, bearings, seals and hub units and tie rod ends.
- Pulling in one direction, instead of maintaining a straight path, and uneven tire wear. These symptoms mean there’s an alignment problem. Proper wheel alignment is important for the lifespan of tires and helps ensure safe handling.
- Low tire pressure, bulges or blisters on the sidewalls, or dents in the wheel. These are visible problems that should be checked out as soon as possible. Your tires are the critical connection between your car and the road in all sorts of driving conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What damage can a pothole do to my car?
It can damage tires, wheels, steering and suspension, and wheel alignment. Even one severe pothole can knock a wheel out of alignment and cause uneven tire wear.
How do I know if my alignment was damaged by a pothole?
The car pulls in one direction instead of keeping a straight path, and the tires wear unevenly.
What are signs of suspension damage after a pothole?
Loss of control, swaying in routine turns, bottoming-out on city streets, or bouncing excessively on rough roads.
Have pothole damage checked at Active Green + Ross
If you’ve hit a pothole and noticed any of these signs, visit your local Active Green + Ross or schedule an appointment online, and we’ll help you solve any problems the pothole may have caused.
