LA drivers hit with costly repairs due to large potholes on city streets
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A line of vehicles suffered damage after large potholes appeared on Aviation Boulevard near the Los Angeles International Airport last week.
Daniel Cardenas was one of the drivers and said he had two tires blown out after hitting a pothole.
"It was a pretty terrifying experience for those couple hours that we were stranded there on the highway," he said. Cardenas had to pay $400 and counting to get his tires fixed as the pothole also damaged his rims.
"I would just hope that the city, with all the taxes that we're all collectively paying, would put some priority into the infrastructure of our city," he said.
Since the start of the new year, there have been more than 1,600 reports of potholes on L.A. streets. The city says it's receiving as many as 40 new reports of potholes every day and more begin to pour in after a rainstorm.
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Cold water seeps into asphalt creating potholes that can damage tires, wheels and alignment. Drivers who hit them can pay anywhere between $300 to $1,300 to get necessary repairs, according to Globe Tire & Motorsports. The shop has seen a boom in business since the recent rain.
To better protect your vehicles, AAA.com recommends avoiding potholes if it's safely possible to do so.
"Really maintain your tire pressure, and that's really important. You want to have the proper inflation level in your tires. That's really going to help also with navigating the potholes." said Megan Mckernan, the group manager of Automotive Service AAA. "If you have properly inflated tires, less likely, you'll experience, you know, a puncture or flat."
