Potholes on British roads are costing drivers £2.8billion in repairs, according to new research out today.
Crashing through potholes on poorly maintained roads is the cause of a third of all mechanical failures in the UK, it is revealed.
In contrast the survey found that potholes are responsible for only an eighth of mechanical failures in the United States.
The figures for the Warranty Direct study were based on repairs to 500,000 cars on both sides of the Atlantic.
The news comes as fuel continues to rise towards £5 a gallon, with the motorist paying large amounts in fuel duty.
Duncan McClure Fisher of Warranty Direct, the firm that carried out the research, said: ‘Continuous driving over cracked or uneven road surfaces, or one sudden jolt from a pothole, can cause substantial damage to shock absorbers, springs, upper and lower arms and stabiliser bars.’