Potholes are notorious for damaging cars that strike them squarely. Even if you escape unscathed, hitting a pothole is a jarring experience that could cause damage you don’t notice until it develops into a larger problem. To help avoid these pothole run-ins, here are some general driving tips for minimizing pothole damage.

Slow Down and Allow Some Space

First, slowing down gives you more time to react should you come across a pothole. While it may not seem like much time, you gain tenths of seconds to plan a route around a pothole without compromising the safety of you and other drivers. Also, follow at a distance. Sometimes potholes sneak up on you because you can’t see past the cars in front of you. Allowing more space also gives you more time to see a pothole and react.

Be Attentive

Another way to minimize pothole damage is to simply be aware of your surroundings when driving. Fight against driving on autopilot and track how you attend to the road and other drivers. If you don’t do this already, make a habit of examining the road in front of you periodically.

Be Wary of Standing Water

Never trust a stretch of road that has standing water. At best, there may not be a pothole, but you risk hydroplaning across the surface and losing your grip. In many cases, though, roadway puddles exist because potholes fill with water. It’s difficult to tell how deep these potholes are, so you may damage your car by assuming you can drive over them.

Inflate Your Tires Properly

Hitting a pothole, though you can take measures to avoid them, is an eventuality. To prepare your car in the event of hitting one, make sure to inflate your tires according to manufacturer recommendations. This is because running over a pothole in underinflated tires risks a blowout, while doing so with overinflated tires hazards an especially jarring collision. If you do hit a pothole and need servicing, RNR Tire Express can help. We’re a well-known and customer-focused tire shop in Colorado Springs and have many options for helping you through your tougher car issues. Gives us a call or visit us on location in Colorado Springs so we can answer your questions about our services.