Kwik Fit warned that the average driver paid £144 in repairs over damage caused by potholes in 2024 (Image: Getty)
Motorists across the UK are facing a of £1.7 billion due to the across the country’s . According to the Pothole Impact Tracker 2025, the average motorist shelled out £144 in caused by during 2024, with more than a million Brits paying more than £300. Dan Joyce, operations director at Kwik Fit, noted that the figure represents a sharp increase over the past two years at a time in which the overall cost of motoring is also rising.
He said: “It’s concerning to see that the downward trend of the last two years has gone into reverse in the latest figures. Anything which adds unnecessary costs to motorists is especially unwelcome in the current economic climate but even the financial burden is outweighed by the .”
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Despite a pothole being filled in every 18 seconds, 51 percent of Brits say roads are getting worse (Image: Getty)
Despite a pothole being filled in every 18 seconds, a report by the Asphalt Industry Alliance suggests that there is a £17 billion backlog in road repairs.
The organisation warned that more than half of the UK’s road network has less than 15 years of life left, with 94% of local authority highway teams believing that there has been no improvement to damage over the past 12 months.
The feeling is shared with many motorists, with Kwik Fit finding that more than half of drivers think that roads in their area have worsened in the past year, and 62% admitting that they do not believe they will improve in the near future.
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Driving over potholes can result in damage to the tyres, wheels, steering, and suspension components (Image: Getty)
Dan warned that driving too quickly over potholes can result in all manner of issues, with many drivers funding repairs themselves.
He said: “The main components which bear the bulk of the damage – tyres and wheels, suspension and steering – are interlinked. Even if a car is driveable after hitting a pothole, the impact may have compromised its handling, as can be seen by the fact that many drivers have had to have vital ADAS technology recalibrated.
“Not only do potholes present an immediate risk at the time of impact, they can have a longer term effect on its safety on the road.”
To avoid putting their car at risk of being damaged by potholes, Kwik Fit recommended that drivers regularly check the pressure of their tyres.
By letting too much air escape from the tyres, more of the rubber surface will come into contact with the road – increasing the likelihood of damage such as a puncture by travelling over a pothole.
Motorists were also urged to reduce their speed when they encounter a pothole on their travels and avoid tailgating other road users to give themselves plenty of time to react.