Pothole damages cost drivers big bucks
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JACKSON, Tenn. — Pothole-riddled roadways put cars in the shop. King Tire Co. said they are seeing a spike in customers with pothole damage following days of snow and ice. “People hit a pothole and they look at their car and they say, ‘OK, something‘s wrong here,'” Shawn Henry said. Henry works as an alignment specialist at King Tire Co. on Old Hickory Boulevard. “Most of the damage right now is bending lower control arms,” he said. “Lower control arm is what holds the tire and the rim to the vehicle to the suspension.” On average, Henry estimated he does 30 to 40 alignments a week. He said that number recently jumped to about 50 a week. “All it takes is a little pothole out there to knock out your alignment,” Henry said. Specialists said potholes also bend tie rods and rims. Henry said pothole damage can be dangerous and make the vehicle hard to control. Becky Tims, a driver, said the potholes need to be fixed. “It’s crazy,” Tims said. “They’re like real huge. I had to swerve to miss them.” Henry said pothole repairs can run anywhere from $100 to $800. “Sometimes you can get around them,” he said. “Sometimes you can’t.” Henry said failing to get problems fixed could cost more in the long run. The Tennessee Department of Transportation said weather plays a part in how long it takes to repair potholes.
