Hitting a Pothole: Costs Set to Rise Even More in 2023
As the annual Worst Roads campaign offers all road users an opportunity to vote and draw attention to the importance of maintaining our roads, CAA-Quebec has calculated what it might cost in repair bills this year if motorists damage their vehicles in a pothole. Labour scarcity, rising inflation and a number of other factors may explain why damaging your vehicle in the province’s all too many potholes will hurt your wallet even more this year.
By driving on the Worst Roads in Canada, Quebecers end up paying the price, which is well in excess of their annual taxes! A CAA study conducted in 2021 determined that the average additional cost of poor road conditions was $258 per vehicle annually in Quebec. This includes unexpected repair and maintenance costs, vehicle depreciation, additional fuel costs as well as premature wear and tear on mechanical components. By way of comparison, the Canadian average stood at $126.
As the cost of living continues to rise, so does the cost of repairs. In 2023, damage to your vehicle due to a pothole usually results in expenses ranging from $200 to $600, and sometimes a whole lot more! Our Mobility Advisory Services experts have identified a list of the most common breakdowns, and the approximate costs associated with them based on the current market. These costs have increased by 20–35% since 2020.
- Tire: $150 to $350
- Steel wheel: $100
- Alloy wheel: $600
- Control arm: $200 to $400
- Tie rod end: $100 to $250
- Shock absorber: $200 to $400
- Strut rod: $200 to $400
- Suspension ball joint: $150 to $300
- Parallelism (alignment): $100 to $200
“The Worst Roads campaign allows us to pinpoint problematic roads in Quebec and to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining them. Furthermore, our Mobility experts observe that the damage and associated costs represent a significant extra cost for road users.”
— Pierre-Serge Labbé, Vice President, Mobility Services
Car Insurance: To Claim or Not to Claim?
Is the expensive bill following a pothole incident worth a claim with your insurer? Not necessarily! CAA-Quebec recommends not to deal with an insurer for claims under $1000. See our tip sheet on this subject to learn all the details.
Worst Roads in Quebec: A Successful Campaign
Road users are invited to submit their votes by May 3 to help rank the ten Worst Roads in Quebec by visiting caaworstroads.com. This campaign is a platform provided by CAA-Quebec to all citizens in order to improve road infrastructures, and whose value is no longer in question. Indeed, a majority of the roads that made it into this sad ranking have benefited from investments to make them more appealing, and above all, safer.
About CAA-Quebec
CAA-Quebec, a non-profit organization, assists each of its members by providing mobility, travel, insurance and residential benefits, products and services. CAA was named the number one most trusted brand in Canada in the annual Trusted Brand Index for 2022 by the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria.
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