Drivers faced a surge in pothole-related incidents at the beginning of the year as heavy rainfall concealed road damage beneath standing water, according to new data.
Motoring organisation RAC reported a significant increase, with the daily average of pothole reports from broken down motorists in February soaring to three-and-a-half times the figure for the corresponding month last year.
This sharp rise was attributed to the "incredible amount of standing water" on roads, which effectively "hid potholes" from view.
Provisional Met Office statistics revealed that England experienced 42 per cent more rainfall than average between December and February.
This was due to a succession of low-pressure systems tracking across the UK from the Atlantic, bringing persistent wet and windy weather.
The heaviest downpours were particularly concentrated across southern and central England.
The RAC said 6,290 of its members mentioned potholes when logging breakdowns last month, compared with 1,842 in February 2025.
January saw 5,106 mentions at a daily average of 165, up from 63 in the same month last year.
Common vehicle problems caused by potholes include damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “In February there was an incredible amount of standing water and puddles on our roads, many of which were hiding potholes which sadly too many drivers fell foul of.
“While this amount of rain is hard for the saturated land to cope with, the RAC suspects that poor drainage may also be to blame, possibly as a result of councils not carrying out as much of these works as they have done in the past.”
Mr Williams described water as “the enemy of the roads” as it enters cracks and – when the temperature drops below 0C – freezes and expands, causing potholes.
He continued: “Preventing water from sitting on our local roads is key to their long-term health, so it’s vital more work to improve drainage is carried out.
“Without this, drivers will continue to have to fork out their hard-earned money on fixing their cars.”
RAC figures show a repair bill for a car suffering pothole damage more serious than a puncture can reach £590.
Tom Hunt, who chairs the Local Government Association’s inclusive growth committee, said: “Councils are very aware of the recent and persistent rainfall and the impact on local highways.
“Local teams are working hard to fix potholes swiftly.
“However, many factors affect how quickly roads can be fixed, including the weather, safety risks, the type of road and traffic levels, to budget pressures.
“We urge members of the public to continue to report potholes and other road damage.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We are providing councils with a record £7.3 billion over the next four years to help them tackle potholes, and it’s now over to them to get on with maintaining and upgrading their roads.
“Our new council rating system charts how well they are delivering for local people, including their long-term fixes rather than just patching up potholes.”
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