New York City Car Accidents: Potholes Pose Serious Risks

NEW YORK, NY, September 07, 2012

Experienced motorists try to minimize this problem by always keeping a firm hold on the steering wheel with both hands so they can immediately concentrate on driving straight ahead in an effort to avoid hitting other drivers.

The Size of NYC's Pothole Problem

In March of 2012, Mayor Bloomberg's office issued Press Release 098-12 stating that a record number of 418,000 potholes had been filled by the city during the recent fiscal year. Likewise, Bill de Blasio's Office of the Public Advocate for the City of New York indicated that "more than 80,000 New Yorkers [had] called 311 [during the first nine months of the year] . . . to request repairs for a damaged street in their neighborhood."

These numbers clearly indicate how extensive this problem has become for residents. In fact, the mayor's office also stated that by the end of 2012, New York City will have repaved close to "1,000 lane miles of city streets."

Tips for Safely Navigating the City's Uneven Street Surfaces

Since the annual cold and wet winter seasons will continue creating new potholes and sinkholes every year, all drivers should take certain precautions to increase their safety, including those named below.

- Keep Your Tires in Top Shape. By making sure your tire treads are deep enough to provide maximum traction, you can minimize your chances of getting into an accident due to poor street pavement conditions. All drivers should also consult their car owners' manuals to be sure their tires are properly inflated since too much or too little air can also increase your driving dangers;

- Monitor Current Street Conditions. By watching local news reports and visiting various city websites, including the New York City DOT Map Portal, drivers can try to determine the repair conditions in the areas where they're planning to drive. Although new repairs may always be in progress or about to start, it's still a good idea to check out these resources ahead of time, especially when you'll be driving into an unfamiliar part of town;

- Inspect Your Vehicle's Alignment and Suspension System. Take the time to determine if your shock absorbers and struts are in good condition so that if you do drive over a serious road problem, you'll have enough "bounce" to continue on without destroying your car's suspension. Also, check to see if your wheel alignment is in good shape. It only takes one drive over a deep pothole to damage the alignment - which can in turn create new steering problems;

- Drive at a Reasonably "Slow" Pace Whenever Possible. Obviously, everyone should drive within the posted speed limit. However, it's always wise to avoid traveling any faster than necessary since too much speed can decrease your vehicle's chances of quickly "recovering" from a sudden drop in the pavement;

- Take All Wet Puddles Seriously. What may look like a simple puddle of water may actually be the misleading surface area of a large, deep pothole. Assume the worst so you can keep moving forward safely;

- Listen for Odd Noises While Driving. While it may be difficult to carefully listen to your vehicle's current sounds of "wear and tear" while moving through rush hour traffic, make sure to listen to how various parts sound when you're driving in your own neighborhood. Always have any highly unusual sounds checked out by a good mechanic before driving across New York City's unpredictable roadways again.

*Since these terms are often confused with one another, just be aware that potholes usually have "definable bottom surfaces, such as dirt or gravel . . . [while] sinkholes (or cave-ins) generally look like depressions, with a jagged hole and a deep void underneath." New York City's Department of Transportation (DOT) is charged with fixing "potholes" and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is responsible for fixing "sinkholes."

Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff LLP
122 E 42nd Street, Suite 3800
New York, NY 10168
Phone: 1-866-516-5887
http://www.nycaccident.com/