Unless you run a garage, potholes are bad for businesses. The deep holes in a road’s surface can cause many vehicle issues, such as tyre damage or deflation, wheel rim bending, broken suspension springs, or alignment problems.
Unfortunately, potholes are a common issue across the country, as the RAC estimates there are more than one million in the UK. So, why are they a problem for businesses, and what can they do about them?
What Causes Potholes?
A pothole develops when water seeps into the tiny cracks in a road surface, which commonly form due to excess traffic. The water may then freeze and expand, causing the cracks to become large once it thaws. It weakens the surface while allowing more water to enter, and the potholes could be exacerbated by heavy rainfall. Heavy traffic over the weak road causes a small hole to develop, which will grow due to the pressure of passing cars.
Why are Potholes Bad for Businesses?
Businesses have a duty of care to their employees, which is why potholes are a big problem, as they can pose a risk to employee safety on the road. Also, they could increase the risk of a collision with one or more motorists, pedestrians, or cyclists.
Potholes are a threat to businesses dependent on efficient road infrastructure and transportation, such as courier firms or logistics companies. If a pothole causes significant damage to a vehicle, a small business might be unable to operate for many days until the necessary repairs are complete. As a result, it could lead to a loss of business, customer dissatisfaction, and reputational damage.
What Can Businesses Do About Potholes?
Businesses cannot force local councils to fill potholes across towns and cities, but they can prevent the deep holes on their premises. Improve road safety on-site with a dependable pothole repair kit, which you can apply straight from a bucket and use in all weather conditions.
It will allow your business to create a safer, usable environment for all on-site vehicles. You can use it to fill gaps on various surfaces, such as drives, paths, cycle tracks, and manholes. It will minimise road safety issues and prevent your vehicles from sustaining damage on the premises.
Also, your business could request its employees avoid driving over potholes, but only when it is safe to do so. If it isn’t safe, they will have no option but to drive over them. However, they could decrease damage by reducing their speed or distancing their vehicle from other motorists if possible.
Potholes can pose a risk to employee safety and cause substantial damage to many business vehicles. If a vehicle experiences damage on the road, a company might have no other option but to spend a large sum on essential repairs to get it back on the road, which can drain its profitability.
Also, a lengthy vehicle repair could impact a business’s operations, affecting its revenue, customer satisfaction, and reputation. Unfortunately, you cannot change the UK’s roads, but you can repair potholes on-site and teach your drivers how to safely drive over them to prevent accidents and minimise repairs.
