SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a pause in the rainfall, more potholes on the roadways are starting to become visible. However, it might be a little too late for drivers who have hit a few, causing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in damage to their cars.
"We know that after the roads have been inundated with water, that we had to go out and check them. Crews went out and did an eyeball inspection on the roads to make sure that some of them hadn't suffered as much damage as we thought they did," said Matt Robinson, spokesperson for Sacramento County.
Crews with the Sacramento Department of Transportation, Maintenance and Operations are currently taking care of the roads that are the most damaged.
With so many potholes, shops like Mike and Sons Automotive off Q Street are seeing an influx in drivers coming in for repairs.
"Just depends on how hard they hit that pothole. If the rim bends and pinches the side of the tire, the tire will rupture and it will not be repairable. If the wheel actually bends... and the tire survives, the wheel has to be replaced," said Froylan Flores, the shop manager at Mike and Sons Automotive.
The damage could cost people thousands of dollars, and repairs could take days. Depending on where it happens, the county or city could be liable for damages.
"If it happens in Elk Grove, the city of Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, you have to talk to their city governments about how they handle them. For Sacramento County, if you hit a pothole and you feel like the pothole has done damage to your vehicle, you can contact the county's risk management office and file a claim," said Robinson.
Robinson said the county is constantly keeping an eye on the roads to try and repair them. Meanwhile, West Sacramento also shared photos of public works crews filling potholes on Southport Parkway.
As they work, the best advice is to have insurance in case drivers hit one.
"You may not necessarily feel anything after you drive off, so (you) might of just felt the impact. But it's still ideal to get it checked out at the shop," said Flores.
It could cause a problem that gets worse farther on down the road.
Sacramento County said drivers should not drive over potholes due to the potential damage to cars and the road.
People can call 311 to report a pothole. The county is working on a list, and they’ll add to it once they’re notified of a report.
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