As a South African driver, potholes are your worst nightmare. These road hazards lurk in plain sight, or are often hidden from view, until you hit them. Potholes can wreak havoc on your wheels and break your budget.
The sudden JOLT as your car collides with a pothole is enough to make you cry – and for good reason. Beyond the jolt to your car, and your nerves, hitting a pothole can damage your wheels, and your budget. Tyres cost thousands of Rands. You don’t have the extra budget to replace a tyre or two. That’s when having Tyre and Rim Insurance can be a life saver.
What to do when you hit a pothole
After hitting a pothole, taking immediate action is crucial for assessing potential damage and ensuring your safety on the road. Here are the immediate actions you should take after hitting a pothole:
1.Pull over to assess the damage
The best thing you can do after hitting a pothole is to pull over and assess the damage. Only pull over if it is safe to do so. Move to a safe area away from traffic, and turn on your hazard lights.
2.Check for signs of damage
Inspect your tyres for any visible signs of damage. This includes punctures, cuts, tears or sidewall damage. Examine your rims for any dents or cracks. If you can see visible signs of damage, you will need to change the tyre to your spare. If more than one tyre is damaged, you will need to arrange a tow truck.
If you can’t see any visible damage, you should still take your car to a tyre store to be assessed. Sometimes the damage sits on the inside wall of the tyre, and can only be seen when your car is raised.
3.Document the incident: take photos if possible
Use your phone to capture images of the pothole, road conditions and any damage to your tyres. Write down the location, date and time of the incident. Documenting the incident can provide valuable evidence for insurance claims.
4.Monitor changes in vehicle performance or handling
Be sure to pay attention to any unusual noises, vibrations, or changes in handling. If your car feels like it wants to drift to one side, this could indicate an alignment issue. Even if there’s no apparent tyre damage, a hard impact from a pothole can throw off your wheel alignment. Neglecting alignment issues can affect driving performance and lead to uneven tyre wear.
How much does it cost to hit a pothole?
With over 25 million potholes on South African roads, you’re bound to encounter a few of them. Meeting a pothole doesn’t come cheap. These craters in the road appear out of nowhere and cause extensive damage to your tyres, and your wallet. Think of tyre replacement costs, these could easily set you back over R2,500 per tyre. What if two of your tyres are damaged?
Potholes-related damage doesn’t stop with your tyres. By hitting a pothole, you could also damage your rim or cause wheel alignment issues. You will need to also pay up and fix these issues before they cause more damage.
The ultimate pothole protection: Tyre and Rim Insurance
No matter how well you drive, you can’t escape the financial effects of potholes. At some point, you’re likely to experience pothole-related damage to your tyres and rims. Avoiding unexpected and expensive repair bills is easy with Tyre and Rim Insurance from Bidvest Insurance.
Tyre and Rim Insurance protects your wallet from unexpected tyre and rim damage caused by potholes and other road hazards. You’ll also be relieved to know that unlimited puncture repairs and annual wheel balancing and alignment are included in your policy cover. Thanks to Tyre and Rim Insurance, you can repair or replace your damaged tyres, without that extra financial stress.Avoid unexpected and expensive tyre repair bills. Get Tyre and Rim Insurance now from Bidvest Insurance.
