Thousands of drivers agree 'it's big problem' after being hit with £600 bill

Drivers have been warned to avoid potholes after the pesky road features were labelled as the "biggest" pet peeve for motorists and road users in Britain. A new study has found the most significant frustrations shared by the UK's motorists, with nearly 70 per cent of drivers agreeing on the top spot.

Brannan Coady, CEO of YourParkingSpace, warned: "The likes of speeding, middle lane hogging and tailgating are not uncommon experiences on Britain's roads, so for potholes to be ranked top of our list shows just how big of a problem poor road condition has become.

"As well as being an annoyance, potholes are also a major safety hazard. Our roads deserve better maintenance to ensure the safety and satisfaction of drivers." The top ten biggest driving frustrations saw potholes in top spot with 69 per cent.

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People not indicating was second with 57 per cent, tailgating was third with 54 per cent and the cost of insurance was fourth at 48 per cent. The cost of fuel was fifth at 47 per cent, ahead of drivers leaving full-beam lights on at 47 per cent and drivers hogging the middle lane at 39 per cent.

Not being able to find parking spaces was named 30 per cent, with others driving too fast in ninth at 30 per cent and others driving too slow in tenth at 27 per cent. The AA, which is one of the members of the newly-formed Pothole Partnership, said it had received 632,000 call outs to vehicles damaged by road defects last year – a 16 per cent increase compared with the previous 12 months.

Over the past year, vehicles suffering pothole damage faced an average repair bill of £120, with costs exceeding £300 for 660,000 cars, according to separate figures and statistics released by Fleet News.