How Do Potholes and Uneven Pavement Contribute to Vehicle Crashes in Fairfax County?

Potholes and uneven pavement contribute to vehicle crashes by upsetting a vehicle's tires, steering, and suspension at the worst possible moment and by pushing drivers into sudden swerves that put them in the path of other traffic.

Plenty of drivers shrug these crashes off as bad luck, and plenty more don't realize the condition of the road can carry legal weight.

The steps you take in the hours and days after a car accident on a dangerous road can affect your ability to seek compensation for vehicle repairs and medical expenses. Documenting the road hazard, gathering evidence, and reporting the defect promptly may help support your claim, as legal requirements and notification deadlines can apply when a government agency is responsible for maintaining the road.

How Potholes and Uneven Pavement Contribute to Car Crashes

The short version is that a pothole interrupts the contact between your tires and the road. When a wheel drops into one, the tire, wheel, and suspension absorb a hard hit, and AAA warns that striking a pothole at higher speed raises the odds of knocked-out alignment, steering problems, and bent or broken suspension parts. Any of those can change how the car handles in the seconds after impact, which is exactly when you need it to behave.

Then there's the driver's reaction. Plenty of crashes start with a swerve. Someone spots a pothole late, yanks the wheel to miss it, and ends up in the next lane or on the shoulder. A damaged tire adds another risk, because a sudden flat at speed is hard to manage.

Uneven pavement works in a related way. The Federal Highway Administration has found that a drop-off along the edge of the road can make it hard to steer back on, which may lead to overcorrection, loss of control, or a rollover. Water makes things worse.

Who Is Responsible When a Pothole Causes a Crash?

Responsibility for pothole-related crashes often depends on which agency owns and maintains the road. Local streets typically fall under city or county jurisdiction, while state highways are generally maintained by the state. Liability may depend on whether the responsible agency knew about the hazard and had a reasonable opportunity to address it.

In Virginia, Virginia Code § 8.01-195.3 addresses claims against the Commonwealth under the Virginia Tort Claims Act. Its applicability depends on the responsible government entity and the circumstances of the accident. Specific notice requirements and filing deadlines may also apply.

Other states follow different rules. Massachusetts may require written notice within 30 days for certain claims, while Tennessee evaluates state damage claims based on the circumstances. Texas generally requires notice of certain claims against governmental units within six months, subject to applicable exceptions and requirements.

Steps to Take After a Crash Caused by a Road Defect

The steps below apply in most places:

Get to safety and call for help.
Document the road and the vehicle.
Report the hazard and notify the road owner.
Get checked out and keep your records.

Final Takeaways

Potholes and uneven pavement can cause crashes by damaging tires and steering parts and by triggering sudden swerves.
Potholes form when water gets under cracked pavement, freezes and thaws, and traffic breaks the weakened surface, which is why they spike after winter.
A low pavement edge can make it hard to steer back onto the road and lead to overcorrection or a rollover.
Motorcyclists make up about 3% of registered vehicles but 16% of U.S. traffic deaths, and federal guidance says potholes are a greater hazard for them.
Claims against a road owner usually need prompt written notice, and deadlines differ widely from state to state.
Photos, an exact location, and a quick report to whoever maintains the road are the most useful steps after a crash.