Driving on rough roads costs the average American motorist approximately $400 per year in additional vehicle operating costs.
A group of undergrads at M.I.T. recently had the idea of harnessing the shock of hitting potholes as an energy source to power cars on the road.
Cuban President Fidel Castro once commented on the "enormous potholes" he encountered when riding into New York City from the airport.
A U.S. study estimated that vehicle repairs for damage caused by potholes and other dangerous road conditions cost $4.8 billion annually.
In a 1997 episode of the television series "Seinfeld" called "The Pothole," George Costanza accidentally drops his Phil Rizzuto keychain into a pothole, which is subsequently filled.
The term "pothole" was first used to describe a road hazard in 1826. In Britain, "pothole" also means a deep cave.
There is a well-known sport fishing location in Missouri called the Pothole. In both Pennsylvania and Washington, there are state parks with "pothole" in the name.
The final verse of the Beatles song "A Day in the Life" references a January 1967 newspaper report about thousands of potholes in Blackburn, Lancashire.
In the Ukraine, "the world's largest pothole" caused by a sinkhole was large enough to swallow an entire Volkswagen Golf.
A Pennsylvania company has invented a $300,000 machine known as the "Pothole Killer," which enables one worker to fill up to 100 potholes a day.
Tip 1: Avoid the fast lane
By using the center or right lane on multi-lane roads, you may have more “escape routes” should you encounter a problem that requires you to quickly change lanes or pull onto the shoulder. Most highway accidents occur in the left lane.
Tip 2: Think before you dial
Avoid making cell phone calls while driving a vehicle, as even hands-free devices cause a driving safety risk. Cell phone use creates a distraction that detracts from the brain’s ability to focus on safe driving.
Tip 3: The nighttime is not the right time
You may think that driving at night will help you avoid traffic. But nighttime driving brings its own set of hazards, including the effects of fatigue, decreased fields of vision, and joyriding revelers who may be on the road.
