Look out - pothole about!

Spring is finally here with its lighter and longer days, but unfortunately so are the potholes, which seem to appear as regularly as the daffodils and tulips of the season.

How are potholes created?
Potholes form when the road surface becomes brittle and starts to absorb more rain water, causing cracks to develop. The pressure of cars driving over the surface will weaken it and as frost and ice thaw, the deterioration process happens quickly, causing chunks of road surface material to become loosened. Once formed, a pothole will generally increase in size as more cars drive over the weakened area.

How can potholes damage your vehicle?
Driving over a pothole can cause damage to a vehicle’s axle and suspension. Potholes are at their most dangerous at night, and in wet weather when the hole is filled with rain water. 

How can the Good Garage Scheme help?
Get to know your local Good Garage Scheme member garage and ask them to give your car a check if you are worried. Continuing to drive when there is a problem may cause further damage.
Simply visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and type in your postcode or town name.

Where can you report pothole damage?
If you believe your vehicle has been damaged by a particular pothole, there are steps you can take to report the issue, namely:

· Collect evidence – location, timing and photographs
· Report the pothole to your local council or Highways Agency

Presenting your case as if you are trying to help other motorists avoid such damage may help to support your claim.

Why not book your car in for a seasonal check at your local Good Garage Scheme member garage?

It's like having a friend in the know!

Avoid a Bumpy Ride This Spring

Spring is on its way - which can only mean lighter evenings, warmer days and of course the launch of our Good Garage Scheme Spring Check. However, whilst we are keen to ensure your vehicles have survived the winter and are in good shape for spring, there is one thing you will be lucky to avoid - potholes.

Estimated to cause as many as one in ten mechanical failures and costing motorists over £730 million every year, potholes are at the root of much motoring misery.

Although this winter has been relatively mild, the condition of the roads appears to have worsened - and a bumpy journey is an all-too-frequent occurrence.

How are potholes created?
Potholes occur when the asphalt road surface becomes brittle and starts to absorb more rain water, causing cracks to develop. The pressure of car tyres driving over the surface will weaken it and as frost and ice thaw, this deterioration process is sped up, causing chunks of road surface material to become loosened. Once formed, a pothole will generally increase in size as more and more cars drive over the weakened area.

How can potholes damage your vehicle?
Driving over a pothole, or in some cases into and back out of one, can cause damage to a vehicle’s axle and suspension. Potholes are at their most dangerous at night, and in wet weather when the extent of the hole may not be evident, due to it being filled with rain water. 


How can we help you?
Our Spring Check launches on 1st March, which means that by visiting one of our participating member garages you can have your car checked over, to ensure it has not been damaged by the unavoidable winter potholes or cold weather motoring. Your local garage will test your vehicle against a stringent 21-point checklist to ensure that tyres, brakes, power steering and other vital elements are in good working condition, ready for spring motoring.

If you believe your vehicle has been damaged by a particular pothole, there are steps you can take to report the issue, namely:

· Collect evidence – location, timing and photographs

· Report the pothole to your local council or Highways Agency

Presenting your case as if you are trying to help other motorists avoid such damage may help to support your claim.

If you are worried by the impact of potholes on your vehicle, simply ask your local Good Garage Scheme member garage to check.

Potholes Prompt Tyre Check Advice

Despite an extra £200million being pledged in the budget to help fix potholes and damaged roads, the Good Garage Scheme joins the tyre safety campaign group TyreSafe in urging drivers to make even more regular checks for damage to their tyres and wheels. Drivers failing to do so face an increased risk of being involved in a tyre-related accident. 

"While the announcement of extra funds to help repair the UK's roads is welcome news, this will not happen overnight," comments Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. "In the meantime, it's critical that drivers pay particular attention to the condition of their tyres and wheels as hitting a pothole can cause significant damage. If this damage is left unchecked it can present a very serious safety risk for them and other road users."

After hitting a pothole, a buckled wheel or lump in the tyre are the most obvious signs of damage, but hidden problems can be just as dangerous. Hairline cracks in alloy wheels can allow air to gradually escape. If tyres are driven in an under-inflated state for a prolonged period, they are more likely to overheat and suffer from a rapid deflation. This type of event can be extremely difficult to control as it often occurs at high speeds on motorways. If you are unlucky and hit a pothole, monitor the pressure and condition of the tyres in the days following the incident.

Drivers can find their correct tyre pressures in their vehicle handbook, inside the fuel filler cap or on a plate located on the driver's door sill. TyreSafe has also developed an online tool, and a free iPhone app that provide drivers with their correct tyre pressures.
When checking pressures, TyreSafe also advises that drivers give the rest of the tyre a thorough inspection for other damage such as cuts, lumps or bulges. They should also pay particular attention to any changes in the vehicle's feel or handling as this may be a sign of the wheels becoming misaligned.
Anyone in doubt about the condition of their wheels and tyres are advised to visit their nearest Good Garage Scheme member garage to have them checked.

To find a local garage you can trust, visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com.

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank TyreSafe for their help with this week's blog.

Spring is in the Air

As the UK emerges from the wettest winter since records began, the Good Garage Scheme is urging motorists to get their cars professionally checked to ensure they are safe and reliable in the months ahead.

Debris such as mud, stones, tree branches and extra water left behind in the wake of past storms has affected the surfaces of roads most noticeably with the increased number and size of potholes. These combined factors can have an adverse effect on a car’s vital components including the steering, suspension, wheels and tyres, as well as wiper blades, lights and heating systems that have been used extensively in the wet and windy weather. The good news for motorists is that the Good Garage Scheme's Spring Check is available at participating member garages from today.

The 21-point Spring Check provides an expert assessment of a vehicle’s condition, covering essential areas including the condition the brakes, tyres, wiper blades, windscreen and lights, as well as the coolant and engine oil.

With the first day of spring on 20th March and the prospect of warmer weather, the Good Garage Scheme is also recommending that motorists think about getting their air conditioning systems checked and cleansed. Harmful bacteria and mould may have built up in the ducts of car ventilation systems during the recent damp conditions, posing a health risk to drivers by circulating unpleasant bugs into the car.

Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and enter your postcode to find your local Good Garage Scheme workshop offering the Spring Check to ensure your car is in good health as the warm weather returns. Smartphone users can also download a free iPhone or Android app to help them locate a nearby Good Garage Scheme member anywhere in the UK. 

It's like having a friend in the know.

Weather woe inflates the need for Tyre Safety Checks

image courtesy of TyreSafe

After the worst winter storms to hit Britain for two decades, drivers are being reminded about the need for more regular tyre checks. With its potential to cause aquaplaning, standing water remains a major hazard in many parts of the UK, while damaged road surfaces also present a different tyre-related challenge. However, by taking just a few minutes to inspect your tyres regularly, TyreSafe advises that the impact of these issues can be reduced.

"Although floods in many areas are starting to subside, motorists are still faced with a couple of serious tyre-related challenges which can be minimised if they spend a few moments regularly checking their tyres," advises Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. "The checks are incredibly easy to make, but they could make the world of difference to your safety on the road."

While driving through deep flood water has a wide range of associated risks and should be tackled with extreme caution, smaller areas of standing water may be less easy to avoid but equally dangerous. On vehicles equipped with tyres that have insufficient or low levels of tread depth, water between the tyres and the road surface may not be removed quickly enough. This layer of water builds up in front of the tyres until the tyre loses contact with the road surface. This loss of traction, or aquaplaning, causes the wheels to slip and prevents the vehicle from responding to steering, braking or acceleration.

As a result, the vehicle can lose control, starting to skid or spin dangerously. To reduce the risk of aquaplaning, drivers are advised to check the tread depth of their tyres. New tyres often have a tread depth of around 8mm, far greater than the legal minimum requirement of 1.6mm, which makes them much more efficient at removing water and able to cope with standing water. Any drivers unfortunate enough to suffer from aquaplaning should heed the advice of organisations such as the AA who recommend holding the steering wheel lightly and lifting off the throttle until the tyres regain grip.

Meanwhile, damaged road surfaces and potholes caused by the recent wet weather also present another significant tyre safety hazard. When tyres hit large potholes, they have the potential to suffer internal damage which could cause the tyre to fail catastrophically, leaving the driver unable to control the vehicle. Consequently, drivers are being advised to inspect the condition of their tyres at least once a month, and even more frequently if they know they've hit a pothole. In particular, drivers should look for cuts, lumps or bulges in the tyre and also check the tyre pressures regularly in case the wheel rim itself has been damaged.

"Checking your tyres may see like an unnecessary or daunting task, but in the current conditions it's even more important than normal," adds Jackson.
"Of course, if you're not sure what to do then simply pop into your local tyre professional who will be able to inspect things properly and advise you of any issues."


The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank TyreSafe for their permission to print this blog.  For more information about TyreSafe, visit www.tyresafe.org

Any Good Garage Scheme member garage would be happy to check your tyres if you are unsure. Please check www.GoodGarageScheme.com to find a member near you.

Mind the Dazzle

Autumn is here, and it’s time to prepare the car for the season ahead.

Shorter days bring low sun earlier in the day. According to the Department for Transport figures, dazzling sun was responsible for twenty-three crash fatalities in 2010. Before starting an afternoon journey, try to ensure you have a good pair of sunglasses with you.

If the sun makes it difficult to see, slow down. If the sun is behind you, then it’s in the eyes of oncoming drivers who may not be able to see you. Low sun can dazzle you through your mirrors so check over your shoulder for vehicles in your blind spot.

Make it easier for other drivers to see you by turning on your headlights before sunset and keeping them on for an hour after sunrise.

Leaves falling from trees can cause more hazardous driving conditions both on the road and to your vehicle.

Hard acceleration or braking can cause skidding while dips and potholes hiding under the leaves covering the road can cause other problems.

Always make sure your windscreen is cleaned inside and out as low sun will highlight grime and scratches and ensure your wiper blades are in good condition.

Also, clear out the tray-like area under the bonnet, below the windscreen. They can fill up with water when it gets blocked with leaves. The water then seeps into the car’s electrics, causing expensive and potentially dangerous damage.

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank the IAM (Institute for Advanced Motoring) for their advice on driving in autumn.

Mind the Gap!

According to a BBC report, almost two million potholes were reported to councils in England and Wales last year and it is a problem which is likely to get worse given the extreme weather conditions we have experienced over the past few months.

Potholes form as water freezes and expands creating larger cracks in the road surface that is beginning to fracture. Normal traffic opens up the damaged road surface and wet weather loosens the crumbling surface making it larger.

According to information from the AA, a third of drivers have damaged their vehicle by hitting a pothole in the last two years.

If you wish to report a pothole, get in touch with your council or add the information via the FixMyStreet website (www.fixmystreet.com) and they will report it to your council for you.



If you are worried that your vehicle has suffered damage due to a pothole, why not visit a Good Garage Scheme member near you who will be happy to check for you?

It's like having a friend in the know!