The RAC recorded a 9% rise in vehicle breakdowns caused by potholes in quarter 2 (Q2) 2025 versus the same period in 2024 – highlighting ongoing concerns over the state of Britain’s roads.
The RAC was called out for 6,050 pothole-related incidents in Q2 of 2024, including damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels. This figure rose to 6,575 in the second quarter of 2025.
When it comes to pothole wear and tear, broken suspension springs account for the largest share of breakdowns. The RAC attended 4,779 breakdowns associated with broken suspension springs, between April and June 2025 – up 23% on the 3,887 reported in 2024.
According to the RAC, the increase is likely tied to colder weather in the first quarter of 2025 versus Q1 2024. Potholes develop when water penetrates cracks, freezes, and expands, weakening the road surface.
Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said: “Although English councils received a record amount of funding for roads at the start of the new financial year in April, it’s too early to notice the benefit of increased maintenance programmes. We can clearly see the cold winter weather at the start of the year has left its mark and caused an ‘unseasonable high’ in breakdown volumes during a quarter when we’d typically expect a reprieve. “
He continued: “With second-quarter RAC callouts 9% higher than the same period last year, we hope English councils have been putting their allocated funding pots to good work in the summer surface dressing season, which runs from April to September. We hope drivers will soon start to see the results of both the preventative maintenance and resurfacing works they have done.”
