If you’ve driven in or around the Lee’s Summit area of Missouri lately, there’s no doubt you’ve noticed a major problem on the roadways: potholes. Major highways, main thoroughfares, and even side streets are literally riddled with potholes around this part of Missouri. In fact, it’s so bad that many motorists and transportation experts have said that it’s one of the worst years for potholes in Lee’s Summit, MO, and they’re taking drivers out left and right.
Are Potholes Bad in Lee’s Summit, Missouri?
According to a recent news report, one motorist who fell victim to a pothole said that they didn’t see anything before they hit the pothole. They claimed they just saw what looked like standing water on the street and they thought the rainfall had led to flooding.
Unfortunately, they decided to drive through it and quickly realized it was a lot more than just a puddle; it was a massive pothole. The motorists said that the impact was so severe that it frightened them. They felt the jolt, heard the pop, and immediately pulled over to the side of the road. Upon further inspection, they saw that not one, but two tires were totally blown: both the front and back passenger tires.
The driver called a tow truck and as she and her passenger were waiting, they heard another pop and another car pulled over to the side of the road, too. The dreaded pothole had popped another driver’s tire. Not long after that, a third driver fell victim to the same pothole. Needless to say, it’s clear that potholes are a serious problem in Lee’s Summit, MO this year.
The Damage Caused by Potholes
From the real-life scenario painted above, potholes can spell major disaster for your car. If you’ve ever hit one before, you know just how troublesome it can be. Potholes can damage a vehicle in a number of ways, including the following components:
The Tires
Hitting a pothole can cause a small hole and a slow leak in a tire, or it can completely blow out an entire tire on impact.
The Wheels
The wheels themselves can suffer damage when they make contact with a pothole. The impact can cause a wheel to bend or crack. Can a Damaged Wheel Rim be Repaired?>>
Suspension and Steering
Potholes can also impact a car’s suspension and steering. The impact can bend components of the suspension and steering system out of alignment, and when that happens, rather than driving straight, your car will pull to one side or the other.
How to Avoid Potholes
Knowing that potholes are such a big problem in Lee’s Summit, MO this year, if you’re going to be driving in the area, you really need to be aware. To avoid hitting potential potholes, implement the following tips:
Drive Slowly
If you do hit a pothole, the faster you’re driving, the worse the damage will be, so take it slowly.
Follow at a Distance
Keep a safe distance between your car and the car in front of you. That way, if the car in front of you hits a pothole, you’ll have more time to react and can avoid falling victim, too.
Watch Out for Puddles
If you see any puddles, whenever possible, drive around them. If you can’t avoid them, drive through very slowly.
Report Pothole Sightings
In addition to the above-mentioned tips, if you spot any potholes in the Lee’s Summit area, make sure you report them. Doing so will help you and other drivers from falling victim to the damage they can cause.
Report a Pothole – Lee’s Summit Public Works Department
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