A study conducted by the RAC has found that the UK’s roads are now in a worse state than they were ten years ago. With many claims from consumers on their car insurance policies now being made up of ‘pothole’ damage, this may come as no surprise to the public.

The analysis was formed from data received on pothole related incident callouts over the last ten years. This they state gives strong evidence that the road surfaces up and down the country have deteriorated over this time. One of the most alarming statistics was that there has been an increase of 125 per cent in vehicle breakdowns.

According to the RAC many of the issues stem from local roads than that of major A roads and motorways. It is the local roads in towns, cities and villages which have come under fire. The Government has announced plans to ring fence vehicle excise duty to tackle this problem and ensure the upkeep of maintenance of major roads and future development – known as the ‘roads Fund’.

The question remains is how long will the new fund take to catch-up to a position whereby current problems are rectified. With many smaller roads providing vital links for motorists it is paramount that this is a wide growing issue. There is also the issue of motorists claiming compensation for damage done to their vehicle by potholes. Whereby some insurance companies depending on the repair will cover you, it is not always as black and white. You do often have the ability to claim compensation from the local authority if your vehicle has been damaged. This is however dependent on a previous motorist or member of the public reporting it. Many local authorities go by the statutory defence that they cannot be held accountable for a defect in the road if they were previously unaware of it.

A word of caution would be to check with your car insurance provider to find out your level of cover should such an incident arise.