fourth power law’10. In practice the extent of stops and starts is also important which is why buses and vans ‘punch above their weight’ in road damage. A recent study11 has applied this theory to calculate the road impact factors for various categories of vehicles, multiplying the damage per vehicle by the number of vehicles. The study looks at the whole of Scotland and compares different methods of propulsion, noting the additional damage done by heavier vehicles, especially those using batteries. What is clear from Figure 3, though, is that for all methods of propulsion cars and motorcycles do not, even if powered by batteries, have a significant or even noticeable impact on road damage. Figure 3 The economic damage done by potholes is in three areas: damage to vehicles, accidents and reduced speeds, due to road users having to drive more slowly or due to congestion that is pothole related. Economic costs of potholes KwikFit prepare an annual Pothole Impact Tracker12 which estimates the annual cost in damage to vehicles in 2024 as £1.48 billions. This estimate seems consistent with data from AA and RAC on pothole related damage for their service users. Evidence on pothole related accidents is less easy to find. An oft quoted estimate from the National Accident Helpline is that between April and June 2020 1,766 accidents were caused by 10 Velske, Siegfried; Mentlein, Horst; Eymann, Peter (2002). Straßenbautechnik (in German). Düsseldorf: Werner Verlag. p. 4. ISBN 3-8041-3875-6. 11 Low, J, Haszeldine, RS & Harrison, G 2022, 'Hidden cost of road maintenance due to the increased weight of battery and hydrogen trucks and buses – a perspective', Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, vol. 25, pp. 757–770. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-022-02433-8 12 https://www.kwik-fit.com/press/potholes-cost-nations-drivers-over-a-billion-pounds-in-repairs#
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