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The Dangers Of Potholes For Cyclists

We’ve all seen potholes and experienced the jolt as you unavoidably bump over one. In a car, hopefully, the worst that will happen will be damage to the vehicle. But even for the most skilled and experienced cyclists, the risks are multiplied and can even be fatal. A slight knock or bumpy ride because of riding over a deep pothole can cause loss of control or even throw you from your bike.

The UK’s pothole problem is going from bad to worse, as soon as one is filled, another appears. A recent survey of UK cyclists for 2022 National Pothole Day found that 21% have been involved in an accident because of a pothole, with 22% of those incidents resulting in a personal injury. The survey also found that 88% of cyclists had been forced into a dangerous maneuver by a pothole and that 63% had suffered damage to their bike because of one.

What causes a pothole?

Potholes are caused when general wear and tear of the road creates small cracks in the surface and when it rains, water seeps into these cracks. In winter time, this water freezes and expands. When the weather warms up in the spring and summer months, ice melts and the water evaporates which leaves gaps under the surface. Traffic then breaks down the surface of the road even more and this causes potholes.

Whose responsibility is it to maintain UK roads and why is the pothole problem getting worse?

The state of repair of public roads in the UK is the responsibility of the Highways Authority, managed at a local council level. This includes repairing defects and resurfacing where necessary.

Despite this responsibility, councils are not under an obligation to fix all potholes immediately, they’re only required to make regular inspections, every 6-12 months and can only repair potholes if they are aware of them and if they fit an ‘intervention criteria’.

As local funds are squeezed, the ‘intervention criteria’ – how severe a pothole needs to be in order to be repaired, has been stretched, which means bigger and bigger holes in our roads.

Cycling UK set up a reporting system which means road users can report potholes and other road defect they may come across, to their local council. If you’d like to report a pothole, please report it using FillThatHole.

Why are potholes more dangerous in winter?

Not only do potholes multiply in winter, they’re also harder to spot. Darker nights and poor street lighting can make it near impossible to spot a pothole until its too late.

Puddles, leaves, and ice can obscure potholes and other road defects, making the roads more dangerous.

What can I do to stay safe?

Years of underinvestment and temporary repairs, combined with darker and wetter weather is a recipe for danger, so it’s important to pay extra care when hitting the roads on your bike.

Potholes can appear overnight, so never let your mind wander when you’re on the roads and avoid routes where the roads are breaking up.

Don’t hug the kerb, good road positioning will keep you away from sunken drains or steeply cambered road edges and will give you more room to manoeuvre around a pothole.

Swerving out into the road is dangerous. Scan the road far ahead so that you can chance your road position gradually if there’s a hazard. Pothole depth can be hidden by rainwater or the shadow from headlamps or a low sun, so always plan to go around if you can.

What should I do if I’ve been in a collision with a pothole/road defect?

  1. Evidence

It’s important to gather as much evidence at the scene as soon as possible after the incident. The more time passes, the greater the scope for an argument that the defect wasn’t dangerous at the time of the crash.

  1. Injuries

Depending on the severity of your injuries, seek medical attention. Don’t shrug off any injuries, arrange a check-up, either with your GP or via a walk-in centre.

  1. Assess your bike

If in doubt about the condition of your bike, don’t ride it until it’s received a professional appraisal. Don’t forget to take photos of any damaged components.

  1. Instruct a specialist solicitor

If you decide to claim for damages to yourself or your bike, choosing the right solicitor to deal with your claim is key. At Cycle SOS, our team of specialist lawyers have been championing the rights of cyclists for over 30 years, and are experienced in supporting cyclists who have been in an accident caused by a pothole or other road defect.

 

For further assistance with measuring and photographing a road defect, reporting a road defect to the local authority, and making a successful cyclist pothole claim, contact the Cycle SOS team today. Our helpline at 0808 100 999 5, is free to call.

For more information or to start your claim, call 0808 100 9995 and speak to one of our specialist solicitors. We’re here to help. You can email us or schedule a callback.

 

Written By:

Emily Pheysey

Litigation Executive

Emily has over 7 years of experience in the legal sector, handling road traffic accident claims to recover compensation and support her clients. Her focus is to ensure all clients feel comfortable and at ease with the claims process so that they can focus on their recovery.

Emily considers rapport to be an essential part of the role and strives to always provide excellent client care.

Away from work, Emily enjoys spending time with her family and friends and travelling as much possible.

Diane Holderness

Litigation Executive

Diane is a Ministry of Justice (TOJ) Team Leader within our Cycle Department. She has 11 years’ experience managing road traffic accident claims, and 6 years’ experience managing MOJ claims.

Diane enjoys a challenge and always strives for the very best results for her customers; something that is clear in the way her team continually adapts its strategies in order to secure the most desired outcome. Diane has worked her way through the legal ranks here, and is proud to now have a strong, specialist team that is committed to customer satisfaction.

Diane believes that happy clients make a happy working environment, and it is this that ensures a productive and efficient workforce.

Nina Haddock

Chartered Legal Executive

Nina has over 30 years’ experience in the legal sector. She specialises in recovering compensation for injury claimants as a result of road traffic accidents. Her focus for each and every claim is to help her clients secure the funding that they need to pay for ongoing treatment and support.

Nina became a CILEX Fellow in 2006 and now helps her clients and their families at a time when they have been through a traumatic experience, and everything they hold dear to them appears to be changing.

One case Nina is particularly proud of is supporting a client who had successfully sought asylum in the UK, following a road traffic accident. The claim was successfully pursued through the MIB and the client was left with significant injuries. Her client was able to use the compensation to aid family members with their applications to seek asylum in the UK.

Julian Fox

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Julian qualified as a Solicitor in 2005 and has worked in all areas of personal injury since 2000. Julian has a well-rounded understanding of personal injury law, having represented both claimants and defendants.

Julian always aims for maximum damages to meet his clients’ needs for injury and rehabilitation expenses, and can often secure interim payments to help meet clients’ financial needs. Julian is highly proactive in ensuring cases are progressed, ensuring a timely conclusion.

When not at the office, Julian is a keen cyclist, both on roads and virtually -he will often do an hour of ‘Zwifting’ in the mornings before starting work.

Richard Atherton

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Richard has 12 years of legal experience and qualified as a Solicitor in February 2014. He has been a Team Manager with us since 2019. Throughout his career, Richard has specialised in personal injury, handling an array of Road Traffic Accident cases, in addition to employer and public liability.

Richard prides himself on his very strong strategic and planning skills, which come into their own in complex injury cases where more technical arguments are involved. On every case, he is committed to ensuring that his clients receive full compensation for their injuries.

Away from work, Richard enjoys sport; he is a season ticket holder at St Helens Rugby Club and a Liverpool FC fan. Not only a spectator, Richard also likes going to play golf as often as he can.

Dave Gardner

Litigation Executive

Dave has over 20 years of experience in the legal sector. His specialism is personal injury and he has dealt with hundreds of cycling injury claims during his career. Excellent client care and communication is paramount to Dave. He prides himself on being accessible and available, attending court hearings where damages are in dispute to ensure the best outcome for his clients. One case Dave is particularly proud of is when he supported an elderly client who suffered serious injuries following a road traffic incident. The police had not taken any action against the defendant, so Dave had to be proactive and act within a 24-hour window. The case proceeded and the client was in receipt of £30,000 in damages, which he would not have been entitled to had the client not approached Dave. He is also an avid supporter of Glasgow Rangers and travelled abroad on many occasions to see them play in European competitions.

Gerard Horton

Partner

Gerard is a Senior Solicitor at Cycle SOS. In his 13 years of experience, Gerard has built a national reputation in the catastrophic injury sector, dealing with high value and complex cases. Alongside his legal role, Gerard supports several charities including Headway Central Lancashire, Northwest Regional Spinal Injuries Centre and spinal injury charity, Back Up.

Julia Eyton

Partner

Julia brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Cycle SOS team.

Specialising in representing those who have had life changing injuries, Julia handles some of the most serious and complex personal injury cases both within Cycle SOS and nationally.

She often works on high value claims and is skilled in winning complex liability cases.

NADIA KERR

Partner

Nadia has over 30 years of legal expertise and has represented hundreds of vulnerable road users. With a focus on ensuring timely rehabilitation, speedy repair or replacement of bikes and kit, and securing fair compensation, Nadia is committed to advocating for justice and client rights. Alongside her legal career, Nadia actively participates in national campaigns to benefit vulnerable road users and acts as a Trustee/Director for the national cycling charity, Cycling UK. Nadia was named in Cycling UK’s ‘100 women’ and was a founding member, now running a women’s cycling group, TeamGlow in South Manchester. Among her many achievements, Nadia takes pride in her spot on BBC Breakfast, where she provided expert commentary on long term government funding for pothole repairs.

Caroline Morris

DIRECTOR OF SERIOUS INJURY

Caroline has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years, recovering more than £56 million in damages during that time, to help clients rebuild their lives after injury.

Caroline is committed to achieving rehabilitation options early, meaning her clients benefits from the best care and treatment at the earliest stage possible.