Pothole Problems: MD Is 11th Worst For Potholes In Country, Study Says

MARYLAND — It’s a common complaint among Maryland drivers: there are far too many potholes on the road. And studies from AAA and QuoteWizard show that American drivers spend close to $3 billion a year in total, just fixing damage potholes have done to their vehicles.

If you had to take your vehicle to a mechanic after hitting a particularly deep crater on one of Maryland's roads, you are certainly not alone. According to AAA, drivers pay an average of $600 every time they have to take their cars into the shop for a pothole repair.

And, QuoteWizard's study shows that Maryland is the 11th-worst state in the country for potholes.

QuoteWizard came to these determinations by analyzing search data for pothole repairs and pothole-related complaints in the state so far in 2023. They combined them into a search index average for both states and individual cities.

Minnesota was the worst state for potholes by far, the study shows, with Minneapolis ranked as the second-worst. California was the second-worst state, with Los Angeles coming in first on the list of worst cities and San Francisco coming in third.

How potholes hurt your car

A pothole can do everything from damage your tires to ruin your suspension, including:

• Pop your tire.
• Damage your wheel rims.
• Ruin the engine or exhaust system.
• Throw off your alignment.
• Ruin your car's shocks and struts.

Here’s how much you can expect to pay for pothole repairs

• The average repair bill associated with a pothole mishap is $306.
• In 64% of cases, the repair bill is $250 or less.
• For 30% of people, the repair bill is between $250 and $1,000.
• Only 6% of incidents result in a bill over $1,000.

AAA says how much you pay to repair pothole damage to your car depends on the make and model of your vehicle, as well as a number of other factors.