Wet weather has caused a spike in vehicle breakdowns caused by potholes, new figures revealed.
The daily average number of pothole reports from broken-down drivers was three-and-a-half times higher in February than a year ago, the RAC said.
The automotive services company attributed this to the “incredible amount of standing water” on roads that were “hiding potholes”.
The RAC said 6,290 of its members mentioned potholes when logging breakdowns last month, compared with 1,842 in February last year.
January saw 5,106 cases with a daily average of 165, up from 63 in the same month last year.
England received 42% more rain than usual between December and February, provisional Met Office figures showed, as a series of low-pressure weather systems moved across the UK from the Atlantic, bringing rain.
Cornwall, Leicestershire and the West Midlands experienced their wettest winter since comparable records began in 1836.
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Common vehicle problems caused by potholes include distorted wheels, damaged shock absorbers and broken suspension springs.
Simon Williams, head of policy at RAC, said: “In February there was an incredible amount of standing water and puddles on our roads, many of which were hiding potholes, which sadly too many drivers fell foul of.
“While this amount of rain is hard for the saturated land to cope with, the RAC suspects that poor drainage may also be to blame, possibly as a result of councils not carrying out as much of these works as they have done in the past.”
Mr Williams said water was “the enemy of the roads”, with potholes forming when it enters cracks and freezes and expands when temperatures drop below zero.
He added: “Preventing water from sitting on our local roads is key to their long-term health, so it’s vital more work to improve drainage is carried out.
“Without this, drivers will continue to have to fork out their hard-earned money on fixing their cars.”
A repair bill for a car suffering pothole damage more serious than a puncture can reach £590, RAC data showed.
Tom Hunt, who chairs the Local Government Association’s inclusive growth committee, said: “Councils are very aware of the recent and persistent rainfall and the impact on local highways.
“Local teams are working hard to fix potholes swiftly.
“However, many factors affect how quickly roads can be fixed, including the weather, safety risks, the type of road and traffic levels, to budget pressures.
“We urge members of the public to continue to report potholes and other road damage.”
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A Department for Transport spokesperson added: “We are providing councils with a record £7.3bn over the next four years to help them tackle potholes, and it’s now over to them to get on with maintaining and upgrading their roads.
“Our new council rating system charts how well they are delivering for local people, including their long-term fixes rather than just patching up potholes.”
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The rainfall was particularly high in southern and central England.
The Met Office said a “blocked weather pattern” over northern Europe preventing weather fronts from clearing and causing the rain to stall over the UK was responsible for the wet weather in February.
