ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Potholes are causing significant damage to vehicles in the region, with repairs costing drivers thousands of dollars. Auto shop owners reported an increase in repairs due to an early pothole season, attributed to an “old-fashioned winter.”
Paul Marone, retired owner of East Ave Auto, said they typically see the most pothole repairs in late March, but this year the season began early.
“a lot of cars nowadays are all wheel drive, so you run into some suspension damage that gets really expensive with the drive frame right in this area, and sometimes we see this all pushed back from it going into the pothole really hard,” Marone said.
Marone explained that many cars are now all-wheel drive, which can lead to expensive suspension damage when hitting potholes. He shared an example of a Kia that suffered $2,000 in damage after its suspension folded from hitting a pothole.
The city offers two ways to report potholes: by calling 3-1-1 or using the city’s interactive pothole map. However, the city is only liable for damages if the pothole was previously reported and not addressed in a timely manner.
City officials said they are filling multiple potholes daily but cannot work on those filled with snow or water.
“I think the higher speed you go into a pothole, the deeper it is, is when you get a damaged car,” Marone said. “We’ve seen a lot of cars where the actual wheel gets bent.”
The state Department of Transportation maintains highways like 390, where a caller reported damage after hitting a pothole. The state is liable for damages only between May 1 and Nov. 15. Potholes can be reported to the state by calling 1-800-POTHOLE.
Marone emphasized the importance of having collision insurance, noting that extended warranties do not cover collision damage from potholes.
Marone advised drivers to slow down and take it steady when driving over potholes.
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