Latest figures from the RAC show that RAC patrols responded to 9% more incidents in April-June 2025, compared with the same period last year.
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On 26 August 2025, automotive services company, the RAC, published their annual Pothole Index.
The latest data shows that between April and June this year, the RAC attended 6,575 breakdowns involving damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and bent wheels – issues typically linked to deteriorating road surfaces.
This marks an increase from 6,050 cases in Q2 2024 and is the second highest quarterly total since Q2 2023.
The RAC has attributed this surge to colder-than-average temperatures in early 2025, which accelerated pothole formation.
Pothole-related incidents accounted for 1.2% of all RAC breakdowns in Q2 2025, the highest proportion in seven years, up from 1% in Q2 2024.
Potholes are not just bad news for drivers. As highlighted in our exclusive CIHT members’ article, Potholes and poorly maintained footways - The cost to the NHS, poorly maintained roads can prove especially dangerous to other road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. According to Cycling UK, 15% of the cyclists they help after being injured in a crash were involved in an incident involving road surface defects.
Potholes and poorly maintained footways put pressure on an already strained health system. Between 2018 and 2022, 18 people died and a further 433 were seriously injured because of potholes. According to figures by Go Compare, an insurance comparison website, the cost to the NHS to treat broken bones can stretch into the thousands (an estimated £5,684 for a broken leg and £3,116 for a broken arm). Ambulance callouts, A&E visits, overnight hospital stays, scans and crutches are all associated with further incurred costs for the health service.
CIHT members can access Potholes and poorly maintained footways- The cost to the NHS here to read more about this issue. Not yet a member? Explore membership options here
Join CIHT on 25 September 2025 for an online launch of our upcoming report, Reducing the impact of highway works on road users, exploring how to deliver road maintenance and street works efficiently, whilst minimising disruptions to road users.
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