A friend of mine recently convinced me to travel to Port Harcourt by road and I agreed to give it a try. I set off early the next day after doing my routine checks on all the fluids from engine oil to brake fluids to water and checking if the tires were in good condition a day before. While driving on the highways of Nigeria, I couldn’t imagine the amount of potholes I encountered in some section of the boulevard but I know that’s no news to anyone who lives in Nigeria but running into potholes while driving can cause a lot of damage to vehicles.

What causes potholes on our roads


Potholes have been a major problem on Nigeria roads for a long time and have been posing potential danger in terms of safety hazard to commuters and motorist in the country. Potholes are mainly caused by moistures that find its way into the cracks in the road and while the road expands and contracts the cracks become bigger. The holes on the roads become bigger as vehicles drives over them and this movement by motorist damages the structures of the road below its surface layer.

Our roads should be in good condition most of the time because we have a more favorable weather condition than most European or American countries adverse weather conditions and repeated freeze-thaw and wet-dry cycles but poor road construction, little or no maintenances  or complete neglect of the road causes potholes thrive on our roads.

A few of our roads that are actually repaired only gets the ‘patch and dash’ treatment which means those in charge of maintaining the roads choose to repair the potholes on the roads individually instead of resurfacing the roads which will be more suitable and last longer they give the road the ‘patch and dash’ treatment in scurry which leads to it breaking down as quickly as it was patch.

Damages caused by potholes

Running into or hitting potholes can cause a lot of damage to ones vehicles especially wheel and tire issues. Some of the damage that can be caused by potholes includes the wheels bucking up at the initial impact on the vehicle, cracks, lumps in the tire, cracked alloys and it can also knock out the alignment and wheel balancing of the vehicles.

If we actually kept records of vehicles in the country we would know that 60%of damages sustained by vehicles are caused by potholes and in more severe cases, on hitting the potholes drivers may lose control of their vehicles and the inevitable happens, could result in an accident putting the lives of the driver, passengers or other motorist at risk.

Advice on how to approach potholes

The following tips below would help you if you’re driving through roads with potholes:

Always keep your eyes opened – If you’re on the driving seat it’s your responsibility to keep  yourself and your car safe by looking out for potholes on the road and keeping your speed in check, most especially in wet weather when deep potholes may be filled with water.
Keep your distance – There should always be plenty of distance between your car and the vehicle in front so that you can spot the potholes on time and avoid them.
Always be at alert – You must always be aware of events happening around you like traffic or pedestrians on the road when driving before trying to avoid a pothole by changing lanes or going off the road.
Be cautious of your speed – Hitting a pothole at a high speed can be very dangerous and can cause serious damage to the vehicle and sometimes very uncomfortable for the passengers.
Avoid braking needless – When driving over a pothole try not to apply your brakes because when you apply sharp brakes to your vehicle, it tilts forward placing more stress on your front suspension.
Take on potholes with care – When driving over a pothole you should allow the wheel of your vehicle roll freely into the hole.
Handle your steering wheel correctly – When driving through a road with potholes make sure you handle your steering well because you can lose control of your vehicle if you fail to do so.
Think safety first – Always choose safety first even if you wish to inspect if your vehicle after bumping into potholes, please make sure to stop at a safe place.
Get your vehicle checked out – If you suspect that your car has sustained any damage when you encountered a pothole, it is advisable to let your mechanic check it out and tell him/her to look for other issues too.
Check the pressure of your tire regularly – Checking your tire pressure regularly is very important in defending your vehicle and yourself against potholes. Always make sure you have the right tire pressure in your tires at all times. Check the vehicle handbook for the manufacturers recommend tire for your vehicle and insist on that the next time you visit the vulcanizer.

http://www.carmudi.com.ng/journal/dangers-of-potholes-and-how-to-handle-it/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=NG_journal&utm_content=howtohandleandavoidportholes&utm_term=20150325

I see

Ok

That is one of the tragedy we have been living with, but we have to put a stop to it once and for all. Now our salvation is near than before. Change is here. Sai Buhari

Thanks 4 d advice.

This is educative jare....Good job @OP

Anybody ever passed through Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Makera road before?. Walahi Talahi, that road na fire. I have never seen any road that bad in other parts of the country. The things on the road are not Potholes but might AperinHoles. In short they are better qualified as Koto Aiye.

Thought they started patching it the last time I was on the road but mehnn, if the status is still the same, my candid advise for anybody contemplating following the road is NEVER to go with his/her personal vehicle. You will thank me later.

Nice one! many thanks.

Quite informative!!

That first pics don pass pothole o. Na ocean on the road.

What!!! oh my God is this frontpage

chai

They will come here and start talking trash.





I'm ready.