6 January 2021 7:25 pm / 31 comments
Recent road fatalities involving motorcyclists riding into potholes have again brought to the forefront the pressing need to address the long-standing issue that has needlessly claimed lives.
Statistics highlight the increasing trend. A paper published in 2017 revealed that from 2000 to 2011, a total of 840 people died in road accidents resulting from pothole-related mishaps, with the number of deaths climbing to almost 100 alone in 2011.
The total represented 11.2% of the 7,486 traffic accident deaths that were attributed to road defects during the period, and placed potholes as the third major cause of fatalities within the category.
While total deaths due to accidents caused by road defects account for just 11.25% of the more than 65,000 road traffic deaths recorded during the 12-year period, they still represent a significant loss of life, and in the case of potholes, likely preventable if action to correct them was taken quickly. And