Pothole-related breakdowns up threefold in February
The RAC attended more than three times as many pothole-related breakdowns in February as the same month last year.
Its patrols were called out to 6,290 pothole-related incidents in the month, which equals about 225 every day. This compares to the 66 daily pothole-related call-outs in February 2025.
Meanwhile, the RAC received 5,106 breakdown calls as a result of potholes in January, averaging 165 a day compared to just 63 a day during the same month last year.
It has attributed the sharp rise to unprecedented levels of rainfall which have flooded roads, making potholes impossible to see.
Standing water
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Met Office data shows there were nearly 19 days of rain in February making it one of the worst Februarys in 126 years. This led to an incredible amount of standing water and puddles on our roads, many of which were hiding potholes which sadly too many drivers fell foul of.
“While this amount of rain is hard for the saturated land to cope with, the RAC suspects that poor drainage may also be to blame, possibly as a result of councils not carrying out as much of these works as they have done in the past.
“We urge the government to hold councils to account on drainage works, just as they’ve done with preventative road maintenance which stops the formation of potholes.
“The mantra for better local roads is straightforward: improve drainage so water doesn’t sit on roads, fix potholes permanently, seal roads with preventative treatments like surface dressing and microsurfacing to stop water getting in and causing damage, and resurface roads that have gone beyond the point of reasonable repair.”
