Most people think of ice and snow when they hear “bad road conditions”. But many other things can contribute to dangerous roads such as potholes, damaged guardrails, slick roads, poorly maintained gravel roads, narrow shoulders, and narrow lanes. In 2014, St. Louis, Missouri ranked 8th worst in nation for road conditions. Most of the road dangers in St. Louis center around the numerous potholes in the driving lanes. The drastic temperature swings last winter worsened an already bad situation as existing potholes got worse and new potholes were formed.
All of us have driven over these potholes and most of the time, they are mere annoyances causing our coffee to spill in the cup holder, scratching our tire rim, or causing our tire to lose air. But these potholes can cause very serious problems as well. If a motorcycle hits a pothole, especially at highway speeds, the results can be devastating. Likewise, it large or deep enough, a pothole can cause a driver to lose control of the car.
Many times, the potholes are repaired with a gravel mixture that may provide a temporary solution but the mixture often comes out of the hole not long after the repair. The only long term solution is to repave the road where the pothole exists. Of course, such repaving cats are high and oftentimes, cannot be afforded. Without a solid solution, these potholes will continue to create Missouri accidents.
If you notice a pothole on a road where you live, you should always report it to the county.
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