Pothole protocol offered by local mechanic

A mechanic said driving a car into a pothole can cause unseen damage that can worsen if not checked out immediately.

Mike Snover is the owner of Auto Tech Plaza on 21st Street.

“Your tires, wheels, steering components and wheel alignment are vulnerable to pothole impacts,” he said. “Some vehicles can handle it better than others, but it doesn’t hurt to get them looked at as soon as possible.”

Snover said the cost of repair ranges from about $70 for an alignment to several hundred for wheels and tires.

Experts say a driver’s best options are to drive slowly through a pothole or avoid it entirely.

Wayne Lott stood near the intersection of Arcturus and Green Star drives Thursday to look at a particularly bad area for potholes.

When it rains, you can’t see (them),” he said. “So it could be dangerous because someone could come through and not know there’s holes. And (they) can even sink, too.”

Drivers were seen driving slowly in the area or driving around the potholes.