Industry News from Yes Insurance

Research has shown that motorists' vehicles are suffering considerable amounts of damage because of the woeful state of Britain's roads.

Scotland was claimed to have the worst kept highways, with an estimated fifth of all car failures in Scotland being attributed to potholes.

Based on the Warranty Direct's database of over 60,000 vehicles, suspension and axle damage that can be traced back to poor road surfaces are now the most common failures for a shocking 60 per cent of all vehicles.

The fault, it seems, lies at the feet of engineers, who are reportedly just 'patching up' the holes in the road. The most recent Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (Alarm) report blames the negligence on the £1.6 billion shortfall in funding which has resulted in a ten year waiting list.

Jim Crick, chairman of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, which produces the annual ALARM Report, adds: "The patch and mend mentality is a very poor use of funding.

"If local authorities fail to take up the challenge there is likely to be a heavy price to pay, not just to catch up with the maintenance programme, but for businesses, communities and the environment, not to mention the implications for safety," he continued.

Experts advise caution on uneven roads and to make sure motorists have adequate breakdown cover.

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