BUFFALO, N.Y. — As we reported Monday, AAA says the average pothole repair cost drivers $406 in 2022.
Chances are, you have already hit several potholes this month alone and 2 On Your Side checked-in at Fox Tire on Tuesday to see what some of the tips are to avoid them.
"You're seeing a lot of cracked wheels, tires with bubbles in them, that's the main issue," said Max Fox, one of the owners of Fox Tire.
Just this week, AAA released results from a new survey showing nearly 20% of drivers had to get their car repaired last year after hitting a pothole. It was a 57% increase from 2021.
Max Fox, one of the owners of Fox Tire in Buffalo, believes it.
"This year's been increasingly bad with the amount of potholes we're seeing," Fox said.
"So you think it's worse this year?" asked 2 On Your Side's Kelly Dudzik.
"I would say so. There's been, just driving home, you see a lot of giant potholes, new one every day, so people are pretty angry with it," Fox said.
And that means, a lot of those people are ending up at Fox Tire with a variety of problems.
"When the tire completely blows out, if your wheel is cracked to where you can't bend it back, that's where they usually have to come in and you really got no other choice to either fix the wheel with the weld, we can straighten them, or really got to replace the tire, too," Fox said.
To avoid having to come in for a repair, Fox says just pay attention when you're driving.
"Just honestly, keep your eyes on the road. Focus. And really, if you got to, go slower so you don't hit them, that's really it," Fox said.
Fox says if you end up not being able to avoid a pothole, just slow down as much as you can to avoid damage.
"What's the worst damage you've seen come through from a pothole so far this year?" Dudzik asked.
"A wheel completely snapped in half, just you can't even drive on it where it's pretty serious where the whole barrel of the wheel will be cracked and there's nothing you can do. You've got to replace it," Fox said.