It’s a yearly delight to feel the weather warm up as spring approaches, but this season of renewal does come with some downsides. One of the most annoying and dangerous is the road pothole, which manifests itself as a small dent, a massive hole, or something in between on the roadway. These become especially frequent sights throughout the spring season, thanks largely to the transition from winter to spring. Temperatures going from freezing to warm and snow and ice melting into water, freezing, and remelting ultimately lead to potholes being a common issue.

The formation of a pothole begins with the accumulation and subsequent melting of snow and ice during winter. This water makes its way into the dirt below the pavement via small cracks and holes. Freezing temps then turn that water into ice, which expands to lift and move the soil around it. As a result, the pavement above moves around, too, and when that ice melts in the warming spring, it leaves weak spots in those areas. Combine this weakened state with frequent driving, and it’s only a matter of time before the pavement breaks apart into a pothole.

While the squiggly road lines known as tar snakes often prevent some potholes from forming, plenty manage to take shape all the same. Potholes can mean serious trouble on the road. That’s why it’s crucial to practice safe driving habits and even take action should you encounter them.

When potholes have formed on the road, it’s key to drive safely in their presence. It can be difficult to tell just how big and deep they are from the driver’s seat, and hitting potholes could mean a guaranteed trip to the mechanic, be it for new tires or suspension parts, so you want to exercise caution. Don’t drive right over them, skirt around them when you can, and if they’re bad enough, safely change lanes to avoid them if possible. If you have little choice other than to drive your vehicle over one, be sure to do so at a low speed to prevent unnecessary wear.

Once you’re off the road, you can still take action against the potholes in your area. While more often than not, towns and cities will eventually get around to filling potholes, especially those in traffic-heavy areas, sometimes those on side streets will be overlooked. Oftentimes, you can go online and bring awareness to them by filling out a pothole repair request form or using other methods to get in touch with those responsible for repairing them. Doing so will benefit your vehicle’s health in the long run and the wider community as well.

There is no shortage of dangers and obstacles on the road, but few are more jarring than the pothole. That’s why, as spring approaches, it’s in every driver’s best interest to be extra careful while driving and, if they feel strongly enough, speak up to get something done about them.