Motorists in Scotland are predicted to submit millions of pounds worth of accident claims as weather-ravaged roads lead to damage done to vehicles in the region.
The AA recently stated that local authorities across the UK paid out £50 million in traffic accident claims in 2010 due to roads defects alone. Insurance firms also faced more than £10 million in costs for damage brought about by potholes formed over the constant freezing and thawing during the winter months. Moreover in order to preserve their no-claims bonuses, tens of thousands of motorists across the UK are expected to pay up to £400 for repairing damage done to their vehicles from road accident claims.
Councils and other roads authorities are routinely held responsible for damage done to cars from broken kerbstones, raised ironwork, or potholes. However AA and other motoring organisations stated that securing a payout may be extremely difficult. These organsiations urge motorists to make nuisances of themselves to their local councils if they cannot at first get them to admit liability.
Unfortunately there are still several months ahead of us until the full extent of this winter’s freeze will become apparent on the roads network in the UK. However organisations are already predicting that the number of accident claims will exceed last year’s figures. 2010’s figures alone represented an increase of 100 per cent over the previous year’s tally in several areas.
One spokesman for the AA stated that potholes contributed to a large percentage of claims last year. In the wake of a second winter of evere weather a good number of the repairs carried out in 2010 have already re-0pened.
The AA stated that claims will be up in comparison to last year. The motoring organisation predicted that many motorists will choose instead to claim against a council than an insurer in an attempt to preserve no-claims bonuses through that insurer.