Often when we think of damage to vehicles, we think of car accidents. The truth is, there are a lot of everyday dangers that can also damage vehicles as well. Poorly maintained parking lots and driveways can pose a huge threat to vehicles and cause significant damage. If you're responsible for paved commercial surfaces, these surfaces must stay in good shape to prevent damage to patron's vehicles. It's also important for residential owners to keep driveways and parking pads in good shape as well. Let's learn more about how pavement affects vehicles.

Cracks and Potholes

A pothole or crack in pavement is often an inevitable problem. All paved surfaces have a specific lifespan. This lifespan can be shortened with poor maintenance, but even with good maintenance cracks and potholes will eventually occur. Another culprit, aside from time, is weather. Extreme changes in weather can take a toll on pavement. Extreme temperature changes and storms can cause paved surfaces to crack. Falling debris such as trees can also cause holes in pavement as well. Other causes of potholes and cracks can include pooling water, winter weather such as heavy snow, pavement cracks that get bigger, and heat and humidity.

Damaged Pavement

A vehicle will experience normal wear and tear as it's being driven, but if a car is driven over deep pavement cracks and runs into potholes, this can cause sudden and severe damage. For those who own a commercial parking lot or other commercial paved surfaces, damaged vehicles could become a liability issue if you fail to keep your paved surfaces in good shape. Parking lot paving services can help you avoid these types of problems. Let's look at some types of damage paved surfaces can cause.

Tire Damage

Tires are especially vulnerable to cracks and potholes because they are the parts of the car that will first make contact with the pavement. A seriously sharp pothole or crack could possibly blow out a tire. If the vehicle hits the damaged area at a high speed, there is an even greater chance of this happening. Other types of damage that could result include tread separation and flat tires. Not only does this put the tire at risk, but it also puts the driver in danger as they could wind up having a serious accident due to the tire damage.

Wheel Damage

In addition to damage to tires, wheels can also be damaged by poor pavement. The depth and sharp edges of some potholes could cause visible damage to wheels by gashing, scratching, and chipping. More serious types of damage can include bending, which would essentially affect how your entire wheel operates. If a wheel seriously malfunctions due to pavement damage, it could cause a serious accident. Parking lot owners should be aware that if their parking lot pavement causes vehicle damage resulting in an accident, they could be held liable.

Suspension Damage

Poor pavement can also damage more than just tires and wheels. The impact of hitting uneven pavement can cause damage to the suspension system of a vehicle. If the suspension of a car is damaged, it can affect how the entire vehicle operates. This can become a huge safety concern. Once the suspension has been negatively affected, the rest of the vehicle is now vulnerable to absorbing too much shock from road impacts. Other damage will soon start to surface. Most significantly, the damaged suspension will quickly cause damage to the alignment of the vehicle. Alignment issues make it difficult to operate a vehicle safely.

Exhaust Damage

A car's exhaust system can also be affected by poor pavement, given its location on the undercarriage of the vehicle. Responsible for controlling the vehicle's emissions and temperature, damage in this area can have serious implications for the car's operation. If a vehicle suddenly encounters hard bumps significant enough to hit the undercarriage, it could cause damage to the exhaust system.

These are just a few ways that poor pavement can affect vehicles. According to The Balance, it's recommended that pavement is seal coated every two years for normal use and once a year for heavy use to avoid this problem. Contact Alto Construction today for your parking lot paving services needs.