During the pandemic the average driver has reduced their mileage by a staggering 42% over the last year. With this sizeable drop in mileage over the last 12 months you would naturally assume that the amount of damage caused by potholes would see a drop as well, this is definitely not the case. The total cost to British drivers from pothole damage over the last twelve months has risen slightly compared to the year before, reaching £1.267 billion compared to £1.249bn for the year to March 2020. Drivers hitting potholes may find that the damage is not immediately apparent. Pothole impacts can often result in slow punctures, damage on the inside wall of the tyre, or cracks in the wheel which are not obvious straight away. Any driver who hits a pothole with significant force should monitor their car carefully in the days following the incident, to ensure that their vehicle has remained unscathed.
Finally anyone who has ever driven a windowless van will understand the frustration at not being fully aware of their surroundings, pedestrians or cyclist to the rear of the van are impossible to see. Well good news has just arrived from Ford who have just launched a “smart mirror†that provides a high-definition screen that displays a panoramic rear view for the driver of Transit and Transit Custom vans. For a cost close to £675 in my opinion it’s a must have extra for any van driver.
