We all know what it feels like to spot a hole in the road, recklessly swerve out at the last second to avoid impact, or thud right through the hole, crossing our fingers and hoping it didn’t cause too much damage. Potholes in the roads around Temple Hills, MD, have caused blowouts, cracked rims, alignment issues, and damaged shocks and struts. You might not be able to avoid every hole, but there are ways to avoid pothole damage safely.
1. Keep Your Tires Inflated
Your first defense against potholes is keeping your tires in good condition and inflated to the correct PSI. If your tires are inflated to the correct pressure levels, and the tread is still good, it will minimize the damage when you hit a hole in the road. The last thing you need is a blown-out tire, or worse, chipped, bent, or cracked rims. The correct PSI for your tires is on the inside of your driver’s door and in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
2. Leave Space
Keep ample space between your car and the vehicle ahead of you. If there is enough space, you should be able to scan the road for potholes and see them before it’s too late. If you maintain a safe following distance of at least three seconds, it should give you time to react when you spot a hole in the road and help you prepare to avoid it safely.
3. Slow Down
When driving on roads riddled with potholes, slow down, keep your eyes on the road surface, and stay focused. If you drive slower and keep your eyes peeled for holes, you will spot them early, have time to react, and avoid damage to your vehicle.
4. Change Lanes
Driving slowly and checking the road surface helps give you enough time to react. You will see potholes in the road ahead of you and have enough time to check in your mirrors, switch on your turn signal, and safely changes lanes. Avoid swerving out when you see a pothole. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or hit another car.
5. Straddle the Hole
There is not always enough time to react when you notice a pothole in the road. Instead of swerving out, which is dangerous, rather attempt to straddle the hole if it’s at all possible.
6. Avoid Braking on Impact
When you spot a hole, and you don’t have enough time to take evasive action by changing lanes or straddling the pothole, it’s best to brake before impact. Slow down as much as possible before you go through the hole and take your foot off the brake. Never brake when you hit a pothole. It could cause more damage to your car. Grip the steering wheel tightly as you go through the hole. When you do hit a pothole, check your tires afterwards to see if any damage occurred.
Keep Your Kia Current on Service at Our Kia Dealership
We recommend that you ask your Kia technician to perform a thorough vehicle inspection as soon as possible after you hit a pothole to determine if there is any damage to your tires, rims, and suspension. Visit DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills today. Our Kia technicians will inspect your tires and ensure that your vehicle is in excellent running condition. Schedule an appointment for a vehicle inspection today.
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