How Dangerous Potholes Can Lead to Serious Road Accidents
Potholes cause serious road accidents when they make drivers lose steering control, blow out tires, or force sudden swerves into traffic. A hole only a few inches deep can throw a car off course at highway speed, and the crash that follows often involves more than one vehicle.
That risk is real in Austin, which is located in Central Texas along the Colorado River, about 80 miles northeast of San Antonio. Interstate 35 cuts through the city, and heat, flash storms, and heavy traffic break pavement down fast. Drivers hurt in these crashes often speak with personal injury lawyers in Austin to find out who is responsible.
In this article you’ll learn about the most common ways potholes cause crashes, what Texas law says about road defects, and what to do right after an accident.
What Are the Most Common Ways Potholes Cause Accidents?
A late 2025 TRIP analysis of federal highway data found that 14 percent of Austin-area roads are rated poor, and poor pavement is where potholes begin.
Sudden Loss of Steering Control
A front tire that drops into a hole can yank the wheel from a driver’s hands. At 55 miles per hour, the correction that follows often sends the car across a lane line.
Tire Blowouts and Wheel Damage
One hard hit can split a sidewall or bend a rim. A blowout at speed can lead to a rollover, especially in SUVs and trucks.
Swerving Into Other Lanes
Drivers who spot a pothole late tend to jerk the wheel. The car beside or behind them gets no warning.
Motorcycle and Bicycle Crashes
Two wheels leave little margin for error. A hole that jolts a car can throw a rider onto the pavement.
Why Are Potholes More Dangerous Than They Look?
A pothole accident is a crash that happens when a vehicle strikes a road defect and the driver loses control.
Three conditions raise the risk most.
- Rain that hides a hole’s depth
- Night driving with poor visibility
- Heavy traffic that blocks a safe swerve
Speed makes it worse. Hitting a pothole at 25 miles per hour may only jolt the cabin, but at highway speed the same hole can cost a driver control of the car.
What Laws Apply to Pothole Accidents in Texas?
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 101.022 sets the duty a government owes drivers on public roads. Courts typically treat an ordinary pothole as a premises defect, which means the injured driver must show the city knew about it. An unrepaired pothole after repeated complaints is strong evidence of that knowledge.
Section 101.101 requires written notice within six months of the crash, and city charters can shorten that window. Austin’s charter sets it at 45 days.
PRO TIP: Report any pothole you see to Austin 311 and note the date. A record of earlier complaints can help prove the city already knew about the hazard.
What Should You Do After a Pothole Accident?
- Move to safety and call 911.
- Photograph the pothole with something for scale.
- Get medical care and keep every record.
- Send written notice to the city right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who is responsible for a pothole?
A. The government that maintains the road, whether the city, county, or TxDOT.
Q. Can I sue over a pothole crash?
A. Yes, but Texas limits government liability, and strict notice rules apply.
Q. How long do I have to file a pothole claim?
A. Notice is due within six months, or 45 days in Austin. A lawsuit must be filed within two years under Section 16.003.
Quick Summary
- Potholes cause serious road accidents when they make drivers lose steering control, blow out tires, or swerve into traffic.
- Rain, darkness, and high speed make a pothole harder to see and harder to avoid.
- Texas law usually requires an injured driver to show the city knew about the pothole.
- Written notice to the city is due within six months, and Austin’s charter shortens that to 45 days.
- Photos, medical records, and earlier 311 reports make a later claim much stronger.