Potholes are causing serious headaches for drivers

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Snowy or icy roads aren't the only reasons for drivers to slow down. Mechanics are advising slow speeds, even with clear roads. The reason -- potholes.

Ken Lehman manages five local Midas stores in West Allis, Greenfield, Waukesha, Glendale and Brookfield. He says for the past three months they have seen about 20 vehicles with pothole damage a day. It's the most he and the mechanics have seen in years.

“You see a big hole? Don`t speed up and hit it fast because that`s going to do the most damage, slow down,” advised Doug Doan, a mechanic for Midas.

The cost of the repairs range on average anywhere from $100 to $1,500 and Lehman says he’s seen bills even higher than that.

“It’s been a lot of rims, we've had tires, because the potholes have popped the side walls on the tires, so you're not going be able to steer your vehicle well there, and then a lot of the control arms, struts shocks, and just your entire suspension,” said Lehman.

The best way to keep costs down he says, is to catch the problem early. How do you know something is wrong? Lehman says there could be an unusual noise, the vehicle could shake or vibrate, or it might get more difficult to brake. According to Lehman the longer you wait to fix it, the worse it could get and that could mean even more money out of your pocket.

Lehman said you might not even know your vehicle has a problem, so the best thing to do is get an alignment and suspension check. Some places, like the shops Lehman manages, offer them for free.