Following light rainfall yesterday in parts of the country, motorists can expect more potholes to make an unwelcome appearance. According to the Gauteng Department of Transport, an effective solution to this is available to drivers. PotholeFixGP is an app that was launched in 2022 enabling drivers to report potholes.

In a statement released by the Department, since its launch 38 790 regional potholes were fixed as a result of the app. Additionally, over 2 800 potholes on provincial roads were repaired which gives the app a 72% repair rate.

It is interesting to note, however, that these figures were achieved with less than 20 000 downloads of PotholeFixGP. The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says: “With a population of 16.1 million in Gauteng, 20 000 downloads is quite low. Additionally, with over 5 000km of roads in the province, it also seems unlikely there were less than 40 000 potholes over the last three years.

“While these figures are not as great as they should be, this does not mean the app is any less of a success. Yet, if more people downloaded the app and reported the many potholes encountered on daily commutes and trips, the success of PotholeFixGP could be improved significantly, helping Gauteng road infrastructure receive the attention it should.”

The app was upgraded to allow the reporting of traffic lights that are not working in addition to potholes. “Collaboration is essential to improve road safety, and this includes collective reporting of issues. If Gauteng residents assist in ensuring resources are correctly allocated through the app, it has even greater potential to improve road conditions.

“MasterDrive encourages all road users to download the app and report issues to see a tangible result. Road safety is a shared responsibility which can foster a sense of civic engagement that will make great strides in strengthening road safety commitment when done as a collective force. It allows for visible efforts to change rather than simply complaining about road infrastructure.”

In the meantime, follow these tips to minimise the risk of potholes:

• Maintain adequate following distance and increase this by at least six seconds if you know the road is problematic.
• Drive looking 12 seconds ahead to be well prepared to react to a pothole.
• If numerous vehicles are moving around something, pay extra attention to the road surface.
• Avoid speeding.
• Reckless driving is even more dangerous on roads littered with potholes: driving too close to the vehicle ahead, swerving between lanes and intimidating other drivers only exposes you to more risk.
• Watch lanes adjacent to you as well. If drivers in these lanes are swerving into your lane to avoid potholes, you need to be prepared for this too.