RAC reports sharp rise in pothole breakdowns as drivers brace for winter months
- Perry Richardson
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
The number of vehicles breaking down due to pothole damage rose sharply this summer, with new data from the RAC showing a 25% increase in pothole-related incidents compared to the same period last year.
Between July and September, RAC patrols attended 5,035 breakdowns linked to road surface damage, including broken suspension springs, distorted wheels and damaged shock absorbers. This figure is up from 4,040 in 2024 and well above the summer average of 4,372.
Over the 12 months to the end of September 2025, the RAC dealt with 25,758 pothole-related callouts – an 11% rise year-on-year. That equates to 71 breakdowns a day, up from 68 over the previous 12 months, which the organisation described as an “early warning sign” ahead of the colder, wetter months when road surfaces typically deteriorate further.
Despite the rise in damage claims, the latest RAC research shows a slight improvement in public perception of road conditions. Forty-seven percent of drivers now list the state of local roads as their top concern for 2025, down from 56% last year. In addition, 59% believe their local roads have worsened over the past year, compared with 73% who said the same in 2024. The proportion who say roads have improved has doubled to 12%.
However, the issue remains widespread, with 29% of motorists reporting pothole-related vehicle damage in the past year.
The RAC, together with industry partners including the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) and Road Emulsion Association (REA), continues to call for greater investment in preventative maintenance. Techniques such as surface dressing can help extend road life and reduce the need for full resurfacing.
While only a small percentage of local roads have benefited from such maintenance in recent years, the RAC said that new multi-year funding commitments from central government could offer councils a chance to reverse the decline. Authorities are now required to demonstrate how much preventative work they are completing, a move intended to ensure longer-term improvements to local road conditions.
RAC Head of Policy, Simon Williams, said: “Confirmation that more drivers fell foul of potholes this summer compared to last is troubling. If nothing else, it underlines the gargantuan task of getting the roads that millions of people rely on back to a respectable standard after years of neglect. Every pothole breakdown means hassle, frustration and ultimately cost for drivers – up to £590 for anything worse than a puncture. For those on two wheels, they’re an out-and-out danger.
“But the tide might finally be turning. Despite the disappointing breakdown figures, a small but growing proportion of drivers tell us their local roads are in a better state than 12 months ago. The Government is also applying pressure on councils to do the right thing when it comes to maintaining the roads, requiring each authority in England to set out precisely what preventative maintenance it has done and plans to do – something we have long called for.
“As a country, we’re a long way off having the roads that everyone deserves. But we hope the rot has at least been stopped, and that new multi-year funding settlements give local authorities the certainty they need to plan and deliver better road maintenance programmes. This will not only fix the roads that are in a desperate state, but prevent future potholes from appearing in the first place.”
Road Surface Treatments Association chief executive, Mike Hansford, said: “It’s important highway authorities consider using cost-effective preventative maintenance treatments on roads that are currently in good condition, to keep them that way for longer.
“We’d also encourage them to repair potholes and other damage as permanently as possible and, where appropriate, treat these roads the following summer to stop water getting in and causing further damage. On extensively potholed roads, where replacement is required, they can even save money by recycling the existing materials into the new road.
“Highway authorities that adopt these practices report some of the best condition roads in the country and some of the lowest numbers of potholes per mile of network.”
