Blog home Leisure & Travel Tired of dodging potholes? Follow these handy tips.

Tired of dodging potholes? Follow these handy tips.

South Africa's roads are notorious for often being below par, with potholes being one of the most common road hazards that drivers face. 

It can cause punctures, blowouts, uneven tyre wear, tyre bulges, damaged sidewalls, bad wheel alignment, and balancing issues. Not to mention cracked rims, damage to your undercarriage, or even accidents.

According to recent statistics from the national Department of Transport, South Africa has more than 750,000km of roads, with more than 80% now older than the 20-year design life. They're caused by a combination of heavy traffic, poor maintenance, and harsh weather conditions, starting as small cracks in the road surface, and becoming bigger over time.

Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (SRSA) shares a couple of guidelines to avoid hitting a pothole:

Stay alert - Keep your eyes peeled while you're on the road, as even a small, insignificant pothole can have a serious knock-on effect on tyres, or can lead to a potential tyre failure at speed. 

Slow down - If you spot a puddle or a pothole ahead of time, slow down as you navigate past it. Keep enough space between you and the vehicle in front to ensure a clear view of the road surface ahead of you.

Maintain control - If you're forced to drive over a pothole, keep a firm and steady grip on the steering wheel. Slow down before the pothole, rather than suddenly braking only when you drive over it, as this could further cause even worse damage to your wheel.

Now that you've got the knowledge, it's time to shop! Head to gumtree.co.za or your Gumtree app (click for Apple & Android), and don't forget to use your location settings to find local service information close to home.