SUVs making potholes worse, scientists say
Engineers have cited an increase in heavier vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs) and SUVs, as being the cause increasing damage to the country’s roads. They warn that drivers shifting towards larger cars are increasing the number of potholes. This is despite research showing that many people are buying big cars to deal with poorer road conditions.
An increase in heavier vehicles, scientists say, was a contributor in the nation’s road conditions. SUVs were over half of the two million new cars sold in 2025 and a small but increasing percentage of the seven million used vehicles sold that year.
Polls have found that nearly an eighth of drivers in many areas had chosen heavier vehicles in part because of their concerns about the conditions of the roads. Opinium research carried out for Kwikfit found that 6% of drivers across the country said that it was the primary reason they bought an SUV, with that number doubling for people who had already seen damage to their vehicle. But according to experts, these buyers were only increasing the issue, adding that their vehicle is still susceptible to damage from poor roads.
Freezing and thawing of rainwater is the primary reason for worsening roads especially during wet winters, and the largest and heaviest vehicles, especially lorries, can cause some immediate damage. But a growing weight in cars, including electric cars, was adding to the problem and reducing the lifespan of roads.
London has floated the idea of additional charges on larger SUVs, mainly because of the risk they can pose to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, not to mention the additional space they take up. TfL is also carrying out studies on the effects they have on safety and congestion before it makes any decision.
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