Car-buying decisions change as pothole damage reaches an all-time high

19 March 2026  

The cost of repairs related to pothole damage has reached a new high, according to the latest annual report on pothole damage released by Kwik Fit, with the nation’s drivers shelling out a total of £1.8bn in the last twelve months.

Since 2013, Kwik Fit has been monitoring the cost of pothole repairs for its Pothole Impact Tracker (PIT). The latest research showed that 12.8 million drivers have suffered damage to their cars after hitting potholes in the last twelve months, with an average repair bill of £137.40.

Prior to this latest set of figures, the highest annual total bill was in 2022, when drivers paid £1.7bn. The PIT report then found the total cost of damage dropped in 2023-24, only to rise again in 2025 (£1.7bn) and now reach a new high this year.

Kwik Fit’s research also found that 2.5 million drivers said their decision to buy a bigger, more robust car or an SUV was influenced by the condition of the roads in their area, indicating that road conditions have led many drivers to change their car-buying plans. The research also showed that 5% of drivers have changed the size of their wheels/tyres to ones better able to cope with pothole impacts.

Of the repairs required, the most common were repairs to tyres (56% of instances of damage), wheels (32%) and suspension components (24%). And while many drivers were able to limp to a garage or home, one in eight drivers (12%) suffering pothole damage said the impact was so severe that their car had to be recovered by a breakdown vehicle.

One thing that does stand out, though, is that despite so many motorists suffering the cost and inconvenience of hitting a pothole, only one in five drivers said they have reported a pothole to the relevant council or authority.